


Nothing is okay (at first)

by Arryn_Larent



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, I am Supercorp Trash, Lesbian Lena Luthor, She did spend years in the phantom zone soooo yeah, Slightly OOC... Kara is an angsty teen, Slow Burn Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, angsty kara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23027953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arryn_Larent/pseuds/Arryn_Larent
Summary: Kara Zor-el, last daughter of Krypton, finds herself abandoned by her only blood relative to be raised by humans and the transition isn't smooth sailing...at all. After a year and a half of attending high school in Midvale, Kara uproots the entire Danvers family when she gets suspended for breaking a boy's nose. Now, at National City's Private Institution for Exceptional Youth, she's set on being a lone wolf. Too bad there's a dark-haired, green-eyed girl that refuses to leave her be.Super angsty Kara! Full of fluff Lena Luthor! Slowburn!
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 76
Kudos: 347





	1. Prologue: Aliens Ruin Everything

They were transferring schools.

Alex grunted as she emptied her locker, stashing all the mementos she had collected in the one and a half years that she had been at Midvale High. A golden baton from her track team, a handful of plastic, rainbow ninjas and a stashful of notes all went into Alex’s box. She cursed under her breath at her newly acquired alien sister… this was all her fault.

Kara was smart, had skipped two full grades so that she was in the same class with Alex, but was a complete failure at making friends. More like a complete ass, Alex corrected herself as she glanced at Kara who was obnoxiously chewing gum with the most detached expression ever. She had broken a boy’s nose sometime before lunch ended, and when she was asked what had happened, Kara had casually responded, “he was annoying me.” So while Alex hugged her friends goodbye, Kara waited at the front with her adoptive parents, who were as downcast as the gloomy, winter weather. 

When they got home, Eliza asked the girls to wait in the living room while she prepared some tea. Kara sighed but did as she was told and ignored Alex’s glare all the while. Alex plopped herself on the opposite end, but was relentless in her glare. Jeremiah cleared his throat and observed both of his daughters. 

“Alex, I know you’re mad, but…” Jeremiah began. 

“Mad?” Alex raised her brow, livid at the over simplification the word “mad” entailed. “If by mad you mean furious over the fact that once again we have to uproot our entire lives because Kara can’t control herself, then yes-- I. am. Mad.” 

Eliza walked into the room with four cups of tea and passed them around. She eyed Kara and found that she would not meet her eyes. With a soft smile, Eliza rubbed Kara’s shoulder as she took a seat by her. 

“I know it must be hard, being so careful.” Eliza glanced at Alex, “and the same goes for you Alex. We know you can’t always watch Kara… still we think it’s best if you two stick together.”

Alex groaned and sunk into the couch. Kara gave a slight nod but remained as stoic as ever, much to Jeremiah’s dismay. When Kara arrived, hand in hand with Clark Kent, Jeremiah had seen how hurt the girl was when he took off without her. She had muttered something in Kryptonian that neither he or Clark knew, and went straight to her room. Since then they had each taken turns trying to coax the young Kryptonian into their everyday life, but Kara never involved herself more than was necessary. 

“We’ll be sending you to a private school in National City.” 

“What? That’s so far!” Alex’s eyes widened and her nostrils flared as she pointed at Kara. “You’re sending me away with her? You just said I couldn’t watch her all the time, so how is this going to help anybody?”

“Calm down, Alex,” Eliza sighed but said with a smirk. “We’ll also be attending.”

Alex stood confused and then cried in horror. Her parents would be sitting in their classes, watching Kara, admonishing her and making her life more miserable than it already was. What had she done to deserve this? She peered sideways at Kara, but she seemed to be completely unaffected by the news.

“You, how are you ok with this? It’s all your fault. Now my parents are going to be sitting in our classes… god only knows if anyone will talk to us.” 

“Sounds perfect to me.” Kara quipped back with crossed arms.

Alex’s jaw dropped and she was about ready to jump the alien intruder that had no care in the world if she had any friends or not, when her father placed his hand on her shoulder.

“We won’t be in your classes,” Jeremiah chuckled. “We got offered teaching positions and managed to convince the principal to let our daughters attend. It just so happened that Kara’s expulsion happened when it did.” Jeremiah pinched his lips, “that being said, I expect both of you to be model students.”

Alex, feeling defeated and tired, slid back down on the couch and placed a pillow over her face. Perhaps she could suffocate herself before her life took a turn for the worse. Hopefully she wasn’t unfortunate enough to have either of her parents for a class; only then would attending this private school be tolerable. Kara gave a slight nod towards Jeremiah and excused herself to go to her room. She didn’t have much to pack, but she wanted to be alone for a little while. She knew Alex wouldn’t come back to the room they shared until she cooled off, so she closed the door and grabbed a bag from her closet.  
She stuffed a journal Eliza had given her, a set of drawing pens that she had finally mastered not to break, and a few more art supplies she had managed to collect. With her superspeed she packed all her clothes and left only her bed intact. When Alex came in, she rolled her eyes and muttered, “must be nice.” 

“I could pack yours too,” Kara offered somewhat begrudgingly. 

“I can do it myself,” Alex replied while grabbing stuff from under her bed. “Oh…” she sat back up with a necklace in her hand. “Didn’t Clark give this to you?” 

Kara eyed the small piece of jewelry that was shaped like her family crest. If she had known how to shoot lasers out of her eyes when Clark presented it to her, she would have melted it in his hands.

“I don’t want it,” Kara said plainly. 

“Isn’t this like your family crest or something?” Alex asked.

“That is a fake… Clark wouldn’t know, but I do.”

Alex clamped her mouth shut and tucked the necklace in her pocket. Kara didn’t talk much, and when she did it was usually to answer a question. Alex wasn’t a complete monster; she sympathized with Kara and wished she could break through her barriers, but the girl was impossibly deflective and defensive. 

“How do you know?” Alex’s voice was small.

Kara stood still for a moment, surprised that Alex had continued the conversation. 

“It says made in China.” Kara muttered. “There is no such place on Krypton. I have since learned it is a place here on Earth. They seemingly make many things using my family’s crest.”

“Oh right… because of Superman.” Alex frowned; she hadn’t considered how demeaning it might be to see a reminder of your family used as a marketing ploy. “You should make your own then… that way you have a real one. Crafted by Kara-Zor-El herself.” 

Kara fought a smile even though she knew Alex couldn’t see it. It had been so long since she heard her name spoken aloud. 

“Maybe I will,” Kara spoke softly and then moved at super speed to pack Alex’s clothes.

“Whoa…” Alex smirked at the suitcase. “So about my laundry,” Alex teased even as Kara rolled her eyes.

And so the makeshift sisters spent their day packing their belongings in a silence that for once was as close to comfortable as they had ever gotten to. Alex wasn’t sure if they would fare any better at the private school, but just maybe Kara would open up to her and living together would feel less like having a roommate and more like having a sister.


	2. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First days of school are tough, but Kara is set on proving that she's tougher.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted to explore a Kara that did not end up as a bundle of sunshine after losing her parents, life as she knew it, her whole god damn planet, etc., etc. I also wanted to explore a Lena that still trusted in people regardless of her Luthor upbringing. So it's a bit of a role reversal, which tends to be my thing if you've read my Woven fic. 
> 
> Anyhow this'll be a bit of a challenge since it's just natural to visualize angsty Lena and happy-go-lucky Kara. Also, fair warning, it's going to get kind of dark as Kara struggles with her loss. I'll always put trigger warnings at the beginning when I feel they're warranted. 
> 
> Alright now I'll let you all get to it! Thanks for reading :) 
> 
> Best,  
> -AL

Kara’s first day was off to a rough start. For some reason they had started on a Friday… a casual Friday. She had been on her way to first period when she saw it--a twiggy boy wearing a blue shirt with her family crest plastered on the front. He had accidentally run into her with his nose in a book; thankfully, she had read his movements and managed to make sure the impact didn’t kill him. She said nothing even as he mumbled apology after apology. Her only thought was how prominent her family crest was on his chest and how weak and pathetic he looked scrambling for his book. She wanted to rip the symbol off; her eyes flashed with distilled anger, but then a pair of pale, green eyes caught her attention. She hadn’t realized he had been walking with someone else. The girl stared up at her defiantly for a moment, and then they shifted as she focused on helping the boy up. Kara stared until Alex pulled her along.

“You could have at least said sorry,” Alex muttered as they rushed to first period. 

“He crashed into me,” Kara stated somewhat absentmindedly; the girl’s green eyes still lingering in her thoughts.

Alex groaned but didn’t bother to scold her further. “Let’s just try to get through first period.”

When they got to class, Kara sat wherever she pleased even though Alex suggested they should ask the teacher if they had assigned seats. Alex muttered but took a seat behind Kara. She couldn’t control the angsty kryptonian, and it didn’t bode well that she seemed to already be spacing out. 

“You’re in my seat,” a velvet voice snapped both Kara and Alex from their thoughts.

Alex shifted uncomfortably as she glanced at the fool who had dared to confront the moody blonde. Kara met the girl’s eyes for a brief moment before deciding their intensity was too much and staring back at her desk.

“Lena,” Kara pronounced the name that was carved into the upper right hand corner.

“And you’re the girl who knocked Winn down in the hallway.” 

“Incorrect,” Kara stated as she absentmindedly traced the carved letters. “He ran into me.”

Lena raised her brow, “you could’ve helped him.”

Kara shrugged, “I’d probably hurt him.” She spoke softly and rose from the seat without another word to Lena. 

She took a seat by Alex and kept to herself until the teacher called the class to attention. Lena glanced back at the girl with a worried gaze, and Alex wondered why she was wearing that expression. Usually people gave Kara a rather offended or apprehensive look, not one of concern. 

“Attention, I have a few announcements to make before we start today’s class.” a spunky, smiley woman dressed in plaid stood at the front. “We have two new students joining us in homeroom.” She motioned excitedly for Kara and Alex to stand. “Why don’t you introduce yourselves to the class?”

Alex sighed; she hated introductions. Still she stood and managed a decent halfways smile. Kara on the other hand looked aloof and waited for Alex to go first.

“Hello, my name is Alex Danvers. Family just moved to National City, so here I am.” She sat back down and then glanced at Kara.

Kara took a moment and then said, “I’m Kara...Danvers, I guess. I broke a boy’s nose, then was expelled, so here I am.” She sat back down and then raised an eyebrow at Alex’s slightly dropped jaw. Had she said something wrong? Absentmindedly her gaze drifted towards Lena who was grinning at her. She glanced away and focused on her desk; she wasn’t sure she liked how that green-eyed girl made her feel.

When the class ended, Kara rushed out of there. She wasn’t sure why it was happening but she found herself distracted by Lena. She kept focusing on her heartbeat without meaning to and something about Lena’s eyes reminded her of home. She rushed past a throng of students and ignored Alex’s command to wait up for her. Instead she veered left and found herself walking in between two school buildings.  
She stopped and huddled down behind a recycling bin; she just needed to catch her breath for a moment and stop seeking out that girl’s heartbeat. She slowed her breathing and focused on her hands. She felt her senses returning to normal and was about to get up when she saw a familiar lanky boy being thrown on the ground before her.

“You’re such a dweeb,” another boy shouted as he hovered over Winn. “Don’t wear a look you can’t pull off.” He spat and laughed as Winn squirmed. “Only a real man can wear this.”

Kara’s brows furrowed as she saw her crest on the offender’s chest. 

“You’re wrong,” Winn muttered as he picked himself back up. “Superman isn’t a dick like you.” He stated with confidence Kara was taken aback by--this human boy was clearly outmatched what with his tiny build. “You’re the one that shouldn’t be wearing that shirt.”

“What did you say?” The boy bristled.

Kara stood from her hiding spot and caught the boy’s fist mid punch. Winn’s eyes widened as Kara stood before him. With care, Kara let go of the boy’s hand and stared him down.

“You don’t deserve to wear it,” Kara’s brows were furrowed and her lips pulled into a subtle snarl. 

“Who’s this crazy bitch?” The boy winced as his hand pulsed with pain. “Why don’t you mind your own business?”

Kara chuckled. “This is my business.”

The boy grunted, slightly unnerved by Kara’s demeanor, and then backed up. “You should watch yourself new girl.”

Kara watched the boy walk away and then walked back the way she had come. She could hear Winn walking after her, and paused when she heard the sound she had been trying to escape from earlier. She looked back and saw Lena talking to Winn, and then their eyes met. Kara retreated even as Lena called out her name, and hoped her class was further away.  
When she appeared in class ten minutes late, Kara was sure if Alex could shoot lasers out of her eyes, she would have activated it the way she was glaring at her. Thankfully, they didn’t have to introduce themselves again, and Lena didn’t share this class. Kara chewed on her bottom lip as she scanned the assignment… this science was juvenile, but Eliza had warned her exceling too much in this particular subject would attract attention from the wrong people. So instead she listened to the lecture patiently and doodled in her notebook so that it looked like she was taking notes.  
When the bell rang, Alex grabbed Kara’s sleeve. 

“Where did you run off to?” Alex asked.

“I needed some air…” Kara muttered and pulled her arm back. “And then I got a little lost.” 

“You got lost?” Alex raised her brow and scoffed. “Fine, don’t tell me the truth. Let’s just go eat.” 

They walked to the cafeteria and sat at the nearest, empty table they could find. As Alex sat to take her lunch out of her bag, Kara rose to get in line. 

“Kara, where are you going?” 

“To get food,” Kara responded in a foul mood. She was hungry and tired of Alex’s pestering nature.

“Our cards won’t be activated until Monday. My mom said as much; she packed us food, remember?” Alex waved her bag in front of Kara’s eyes.”Where’s yours?” 

The Kryptonian frowned but took a seat by Alex nonetheless. “I forgot mine.”

“Oh...well then maybe we can--” Alex paused as the girl from their homeroom class walked up behind Kara.

“Here,” Lena said as she handed Kara a nicely wrapped bento box. “It’s extra so don’t feel bad.” 

Kara remained calm as she unwrapped the box and opened the lid. However, as soon as the aroma hit her, she forgot about thanking Lena. Alex watched with mild horror as Kara voraciously threw the food into her mouth. Lena nodded back to a boy Alex wasn’t familiar with, but upon seeing his shirt, she nearly choked on the air she was breathing--it was the boy she had knocked down. Lena set her bag down and sat by the apparently starving girl, and Winn sat on her other side. 

“Hi, I’m Winn.” The boy introduced himself.

“Alex,” was all the brunette said as she glanced at Kara who had finally noticed Winn.

“You’re the boy from earlier,” Kara looked him in the eyes and then back down at his shirt. “Wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t wear that?” 

Alex gulped, but appreciated that Kara was at least trying to be more subtle. She could have shouted at him for daring to wear her family crest, and everyone would have labeled her insane.

Winn shook his head, “It’s my favorite; I won’t let some douchebag intimidate me.”

Alex gasped and wondered if Kara even knew what a douchebag was, and if she would break this boy’s nose for calling her one. Quickly she collected herself and addressed the boy before Kara could.

“Kara might be a little forward, but don’t you think you’re being a bit crass?”

Winn’s eyes widened, “oh, no I wasn’t calling her one, I was talking about the guy she protected me from.”

“Huh?” Alex took a moment for her brain to reboot. Kara protected someone? “Come again.”

“Your sister defended him from some asshat that was also wearing a Superman shirt.” Lena clarified and smiled at Kara. “Thanks by the way; it’s Kara, right?”

Kara nodded and then resumed eating what little food was left. Lena chuckled and took a napkin out from her bag.

“Hold up, you’ve got a little something,” Lena murmured as she dabbed at Kara’s chin, “all good.” 

Kara had held her breath when Lena’s hand drew near her nose. The girl’s scent was alluring, and Kara thought it reminded her of something familiar. Strange, Kara couldn’t quite place it, but it reminded her of a flower field a little outside of Argo city. Abruptly she stood from her seat and rushed out of the cafeteria. She reminded her of home in more ways than one, and home was a place she could never return to.  
Lena reached out for her, but the girl was the fastest walker she had ever known. 

She looked back at Alex, “was it something I said?”

Alex sighed and shook her head, “I’m glad she helped your friend out, but she’s a rather difficult person to understand...even for me.”

“Not to pry, but was she really expelled for breaking a guy’s nose?” Lena asked as she packed her lunch away.

“Yeah… still haven’t figured out why though.” Alex spoke in a tired tone. She hoped Kara had taken off to use the restroom and just didn’t know how to say bye properly. She was holding her breath for the fire alarm to go off as an effect of Kara burning something down with her eyes. “I’d stay away if I were you,” Alex huffed before she grabbed her paper bag and headed in the direction Kara had gone. “Thanks for the food!”

Lena frowned and Winn just shrugged his shoulders. The Danvers sisters were turning out to be interesting additions, and the day wasn’t even over. She wasn’t sure she liked Kara, what with her cold demeanor and abrasive attitude, but something about the girl called out to her. Perhaps she felt a certain kinship; before meeting Winn and a few other, notable people, she had been just as unapproachable. Still it wasn’t quite the same.  
On Monday, Kara took care not to be in Lena’s immediate surroundings. She understood now that the reason she felt drawn to Lena was because somehow her perfect complexion, striking features and floral scent, reminded her of home. A home that had been destroyed along with everyone she had ever loved. She was angry with herself for letting a stupid human mean so much in so little time. When lunch rolled around, Kara saw Lena smile at her and Alex, and immediately sought an escape. She could feel Alex’s careful gaze and knew running wasn’t an option. She had promised her last night that she wouldn’t storm off without warning, or at least try not to. 

“Would you like to sit with us?” Lena asked as she walked up to the girl who gave her a nonchalant expression. “Most of us share homeroom.”

Alex was about to decline, but Kara interceded. She could smell that same floral scent, she picked up on Lena’s genetically perfect smile… the girl could have been a Kryptonian. “I...don’t like you,” Kara stated flatly. 

Lena’s smile faltered, but she simply shrugged and walked away. Alex swatted her shoulder so hard that she hurt herself.

“What is wrong with you?” Alex hissed as she held her hand tight.

Kara turned away and answered, “she’s annoying.”

“She fed you!” Alex threw her hands in the air before massaging her temples. “You know what? Who cares… you’re on your own. I’m going to go apologize for being related to you.” Alex huffed as she walked into the cafeteria.

“Connected,” Kara corrected her, which only produced a frustrated growl from Alex as she walked away.

Kara stood still for a moment and considered following Alex, but she knew she would probably seek the green-eyed girl out. She crossed her arms and pouted. If only that stupid girl didn’t remind her of home maybe she could sit with them. Instead she walked outside and found a lone tree on the outskirts of campus. The trunk was large and would easily hide her if she sat against it, so that’s what she did. She rested her head against the bark and looked up at the leaves. Green… like that girl’s eyes. She sighed and hoped that the sounds of birds and rustling leaves would drown thoughts of that girl. 

“Did you hear what that new girl said to Lena?” A shrill voice asked in the distance. Whoever it was, was walking towards the tree.

Another laughed, “she rejected her. Guess being a Luthor doesn’t entitle you to everything.” 

Luthor… Kara had heard that name before. From Kal-el, when he was explaining why he needed to be Clark Kent. He had said there were evil people, like Lex Luthor, who would hurt his loved ones if he knew who he was. Kara had scoffed at the excuse and chastised him in Kryptonian. She wasn’t sure if he had understood her or not; as far as she knew, he could barely string a sentence together. 

“It’s probably for the best, her brother seems like he’s spiraling downwards. She can try her best to be sweet, but it probably runs in the family.”

So she was related, Kara concluded. She wondered if Lena hated her brother, the way she hated Clark. Clark who loved this planet and left her alone to mourn the one they both had been born on. Had Lex left Lena to fend for herself too? Clark, who wore the family crest to impress these humans, to stop them from destroying themselves, too busy to deal with the only blood he had left… she balled her fist and slammed it against the tree. An echoing crack split through the atmosphere and Kara knew she needed to leave. She zoomed back to the school, stopping in an obscure corner and looked into the distance to where the tree had fallen. 

She wiped off the bark from her knuckles and went inside the building. She felt her anger boiling within her and she hated how it made her eyes tear. She walked aimlessly, scowling at anyone who dared to look at her. Until finally she met with a pair that mesmerized her. 

“Come with me,” Lena grabbed Kara’s hand and pulled her into another hallway and into an empty music room. She led the girl to a piano stool and sat her down.

She pulled out a tissue and made to wipe the girl’s tears, but she pulled back. Lena sighed and grabbed her chin, refusing the girl’s reluctance. 

“Just hold still for a bit,” Lena kept her voice low as she cleared up Kara’s tears. “You’re quite a handful, Kara Danvers.”

Kara bit her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. Lena’s touch was gentle and warm, and all Kara wanted to do was rest in her caress. Abruptly she stood from the stool and created distance between her and Lena. No matter how nice she smelled, or how perfectly carved her face was, she was still human. She could never understand what she was going through. 

“Leave me alone.” Kara wiped her face and walked out of the room even as Lena called after her.

Lena ran to the door but when she looked out into the hallway, Kara was nowhere to be seen. She sighed and clenched the tissue to her chest. She didn’t know much about the new girl, but she recognized the pain in her eyes. It was the same pain she felt when Lex had left her at this private school, when the only communication she had with her family were the messages she left for him to hear at his convenience, and now even those had stopped. All she had left of a family was an absentee step mother that only came home to tell her how much of a disappointment she was. If Kara was anything like her, she needed someone no matter how much she was afraid of letting anyone in. Leaving Kara alone wasn’t something she was going to be able to do.


	3. Chocobars and  Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glad you all were receptive to the first two chaps! This one is a bit long-winded, and hopefully it satisfies your reader's thirst until I finish up with the next one. I wrote ahead, but I always put in some filler chapters between major plot points. 
> 
> Anyhow, enjoy the read!
> 
> Best,  
> -AL

Her blood rushed as she sped out of the building.. She didn’t care that the school day wasn’t over; all she could feel was the storm raging inside of her. It bothered her that Lena’s touch had been so soothing. How could a human girl, with a single stroke of her hand, quell the sadness and anger harbored within the superpowered kryptonian? Was she really so desperate for affection and comfort that pretty strangers could get underneath her skin? She shook her head and quickly ran towards their new house. Being alone was easier than trying to make sense of everyone around her.

With lightning speed, she ran and leapt to the balcony and quickly let herself in. She had left it unlocked just in case she needed an escape. She sat at her desk and pulled out a sketchbook. Drawing always helped back on Krypton when she felt upset. She picked up a mechanical pencil and placed it above the paper only to hear a definite snap. Her hands trembled as the broken pencil crumbled into pieces over her paper. Kara let out a feral shout and cleared the sketchbook from the top of her desk, only to have it rocket across the room straight into a glass mirror. 

The sparkling sounds of shattering glass hitting wood floors were drowned by the kryptonian’s sobs. She hated how hard it was to do anything she had once loved, how getting angry always resulted in disastrous results. Alex could lose her temper and the worst that would happen was her face twisting into scary faces. Kara could bring the whole house down if she so much as stomped away angrily. She walked to her bed and buried herself under the covers. Jeremiah had made her a special comforter and sheet set to help power her down, but all it was really good for was to keep the outside noises from flooding her sensitive ears. She cried and wished she had never agreed to set foot in that escape pod. She would have rather stood by her mother and father’s side as Krypton crumbled below them and as the sky fell down on them. Her sole purpose of leaving had been to care for and guide Kal-el on the planet that their parents had chosen as a new home, yet she had failed in that endeavor the moment her pod was pulled in by the gravity of Fort Rozz. Instead she spent years in the phantom zone where she drowned her sanity in silence and darkness…she wasn’t aware she could miss that silence until now. 

She glanced momentarily at the glass on the floor, eyeing the sharpest pieces and only cried harder. Nothing could hurt her; nothing could grant her the silence she missed.

She was going to kill that selfish blonde alien when she found her. Alex groaned as she pulled her backpack closer to her and scanned the school yard for any signs of Kara. She had told her not to bolt off, to at least warn her when she felt like she might, and what had she done? Disappeared! Alex turned sharply around a corner and grunted as she crashed into something. 

“Alex, sorry!” Lena exclaimed as she put a hand on Alex’s shoulder. 

“It’s okay, I shouldn’t have turned so fast,” Alex muttered, glanced at Lena’s hand on her shoulder and hoped her face only felt warm because she was angry with Kara. A crush was the last thing she needed.

Lena glanced around Alex and didn’t see Kara in sight. “Is Kara not with you?” 

“That dolt ditched class and seemingly left campus.” Alex growled. 

“I… I should have told you earlier but I found her crying, so I took her to the music room, but she wanted to be left alone.” Lena explained. “She took off before I could stop her.” 

Crying? Alex bit her lip… she’d only seen Kara cry once and she was pretty sure Kara still didn’t know about it. It had been a month into Kara’s first day with the Danvers, and her powers were rapidly evolving much to the girl’s horror. Every single thing that Kara touched usually ended up smashed or in bits. Alex had laughed the first few times it had happened with their silverware. Her dad had bought Kara some art supplies to help teach her control with smaller objects. To Alex’s surprise it actually worked. Kara took to art like a fish to water. One night, Alex woke to the sound of small whimpers and slowly peeked from under her covers to see Kara sitting in front of her easel. The moon poured into their second floor room and lit up Kara’s canvas which was a painting of a strange building and skies unlike any Alex had ever seen. Kara continued to cry until the word “Krypton” fell out of her mouth, broken, sad and full of tears--only then did Alex fully understand what Kara was mourning. She mourned the death of her world and everyone she loved, and all Alex did was stay under her covers and watch. 

“She probably went home then,” Alex sighed, her anger evaporating with the onset of the memory. 

“Do you mind if I walk home with you?” Lena asked.

“What?” Alex snapped out of her somber state and glanced at the girl in front of her. “Why?”

“I got something that might make her feel better. I was hoping to give it to her last period as an apology for overstepping.” 

“Don’t you think gifts might be more of an intrusion?” Alex jested. 

“Well, I… I just wanted to--”

“I’m playing Lena, of course you can walk with me. Kara’s never had a friend.” Alex smiled; perhaps an intrusive sort of person is exactly what Kara needed.

Lena smiled and nodded before saying, “actually, instead of walking, I was wondering if I could give you a ride.”

“You drive?” Alex asked as they walked towards the sidewalk. 

A fancy black car pulled up and a finely dressed man was quick to open the back door for them.

“Not quite,” Lena replied and allowed Alex to go in first. 

“Wow… yep not saying no to this,” Alex grinned and scooted in. 

The ride over was nice and a chance for Alex to get to know Lena better. She had heard mixed things about Lex Luthor’s little sister. Some gloated that they were personal acquaintances with Lena, others maliciously jested that she was as mad as her brother seemed to be, but none contested her intellect. Hearing Lena talk about the academy and the groups she was involved with helped paint a better picture than the gossip managed to do.

“We’re here,” Alex stated as the car pulled up to a suburban home. 

“This is actually kind of close to where I live,” Lena noted as they exited the car.

“Please tell me the mansion that’s positioned on the hill is your house because I had a really weird dream that it was haunted and owned by a vengeful witch.”

Lena chuckled, “that’s not too far off from reality, but yes that’s my home.”

“So it is haunted?”

“No, it’s newly built, but my stepmom is kind of a witch… minus all the things that make witches cool.” Lena explained. 

“Oh, so…”

“I’m adopted; my mom died when I was really young.”

“I’m so sorry,” Alex frowned. “You know… Kara’s also adopted. It’s been a year and a half since she lost… well everything. She hasn’t confided in me, but maybe she will with you.” 

“I at least want to try.” Lena offered with a sad smile and Alex led her into the house and to Kara’s door.

“I’ll wait in my room, it’s right down the hall if you need to retreat” Alex whispered. “Oh and you should stay for dinner if you can.” 

“Thanks Alex.” Lena took a deep breath and knocked on Kara’s room. There was no response. “Kara, it’s Lena...I… I got you something I thought you might like.” Still no response. Lena twisted the door knob but paused before pushing it open. Was it her place to just barge in like this? She had just met the girl, and sure they had a pretty major life altering event in common, but was that enough? 

“Go away.” Kara’s voice cracked even though it was muffled by the door. Lena recognized the pain immediately and she was through the door without another thought.

She quickly scanned the room and her eyes widened at the glass on the floor. Without alerting Alex, Lena shut the door behind her and tiptoed around the broken mirror to stand by Kara’s bedside. She shuffled through her bag and pulled out the gift she had brought for Kara. 

“Kara… I’m really sorry about earlier.” Lena began. “I shouldn’t have forced my comfort on you.” 

Kara shuffled but didn’t say anything. 

“Whenever I felt like breaking down, this usually helped. I thought this might be better than...well… me.” Lena opened the plastic packaging and Kara peeked out from under her blankets with her nose slightly raised. 

“What is it?” Kara asked; her voice hoarse. 

“It’s a chocobar from the vending machines.” Lena handed it over. 

Kara took it warily and sniffed at it. It looked like a dark brown piece of earth and for a second Kara wondered if Lena had indeed brought her some sort of strange mineral that humans consumed. Regardless of its lackluster appearance, Kara couldn’t deny how alluring the aroma was. Cautiously she nibbled on the edge of the chocobar and rolled a piece on her tongue. Without meaning to Kara hummed in appreciation which caused Lena to smile. 

The kryptonian quickly reeled in her reaction and met Lena’s eyes with a stoic expression. 

“What do you think?” Lena asked softly.

“...it is better than you,” Kara replied and continued to nibble. 

Lena rolled her eyes but kept her smile, Kara might not admit it but she had done good with the chocobar. She watched as Kara devoured the bar in bigger nibbles and glanced back at the mirror. 

“I broke it.” Kara stated. 

“So I can see,” Lena looked back at Kara. “you know what we have to do right?” 

Kara raised her brow and shook her head slowly. 

Lena grinned, “well a broken mirror is seven years bad luck, but I know the counter spell for it.” 

“Magic doesn’t exist,” Kara muttered, clearly unenthused with Lena’s ruse; it didn’t exist… on this planet. 

“Are you sure? You could just ask me what the counter spell is.” 

Kara crossed her arms and eyed Lena up and down. How had this human even found her home? Had Alex actually allowed someone to come over and enter her room? She’d have to talk to her about minding her own business. Today Kara had taken shelter under her blankets, but what if she had been tearing her room to pieces or shooting lasers into the wall… she wasn’t safe to be around. While lost in her thoughts, she felt a soft hand rest on her leg.

“Hey, sorry I was just trying to make you smile… I--”

“What would you do--” Kara thought of all the ways she wanted to finish that question--if your whole world died, if you could never see your mom or dad again, if your only living relative was a complete Daxamite… if you wanted it all to end. “If there was a curse?” 

Lena smiled wide and Kara felt her heart lurch. “We have to pick up all the pieces and put them in a box, and then we have to bury them under the moonlight.” 

Kara knit her eyebrows, “does the moon carry some kind of cleansing properties?”

“Exactly, and the earth will take care of the rest; mend your broken mirror in a way.” Lena exaggerated as she walked away from the bed and made her way towards the glass. “So have a cardboard box laying around?” 

Kara rolled her eyes; there were plenty of empty boxes since they had just moved and Lena was already eyeing one that was small enough to be buried. She rolled out of bed and accompanied the girl on the floor. 

“Alright now let’s carefully put the pieces in here,” Lena instructed.

“What sort of magic is this?” Kara asked.

“Witchcraft of course,” Lena responded with a smirk. 

Kara grabbed the pieces gently only so she wouldn’t crush the pieces further. The last thing she needed was Lena to witness her pick up something sharp, crush it and not have a mark on her. She made quick work of her section and then turned back only to see Lena flinch. 

“Agh! Damn it,” Lena muttered as she dropped the piece that had nicked her finger.

“Wait here,” Kara commanded as she quickly left the room. On her way to the bathroom, she saw Alex laying on her stomach on her bed and took a moment to glare at her.

“What?” Alex asked.

“I’ll deal with you later,” Kara said and continued her walk to the bathroom, smirking at the gulp she heard with her super hearing.

When she returned, she knelt by Lena and pulled out the small object she had retrieved. 

“This is called a band-aid, apparently it helps with humans bleeding.” Kara said as she applied the band-aid to Lena’s pointer finger. 

Lena giggled at Kara’s assumed silliness. “Seems you know some magic of your own.”

“Science,” Kara corrected her, “very archaic science.”

Again Lena laughed and Kara found herself fighting a smile at the sound. Kara finished putting the rest of the pieces in the box and then taped it shut. 

“Great, now it’s ready to be buried; we just have to wait for the moon.”

Kara broke eye contact with Lena as she looked down at the box in her hands. “You’d stay?”

“Of course, I touched the glass so I’m just as invested as you are now.” Lena explained matter-of-factly. 

“Eliza can feed you,” Kara offered.

“Oh are you inviting me over for dinner?” Lena asked with a bit of a teasing tone.

“Humans are probably so frail that any amount of blood loss requires them to eat immediately. Science.” Kara explained and walked out of her room without further explanation. 

Lena followed and found herself in Alex’s room, witnessing a rather tense standoff. 

“Entertain your guest until dinner is ready,” Kara stated and took her leave, leaving a very baffled Lena behind. 

“So did it go well?” Alex asked as soon as Kara shut her door. 

“I thought so… she invited me to dinner.” 

“No way,” Alex smiled, “I knew I was right about you Lena Luthor. What did you give her?”

“A chocobar,” Lena responded as she perused through Alex’s bookshelf. 

“The chocolate from the school vending machines?” Alex made a sour face.

“Don’t judge until you’ve tried them,” Lena defended her gift. 

“I’m happy living without the knowledge,” Alex contested. 

It wasn’t long before Eliza and Jeremiah returned home to prepare dinner, and when they all sat, Kara thought Eliza looked too happy at having a guest over. She glanced at Lena but then glanced away lest she give anyone ideas that she found the girl’s face to be pleasing. 

“So how do you know Lena, sweetie?” Eliza asked.

“She won’t leave me alone,” Kara answered and added, “and Alex showed her where we live.”

Alex nearly choked on her food and Lena was too amused to be mortified. 

“Sounds like how I met you dear,” Jeremiah chuckled. “Eliza showed up to all of my labs only to outdo all my attentive efforts; what took me hours, took her minutes. At the time, I only saw her as a competitor and I completely missed all the other signals. It wasn’t until she showed up at my dorm and kissed me that I got it.”

“Eww dad,” Alex winced, “are you trying to scare away Kara’s one and only friend?”

“Actually Dr. Danvers told this story on the first day of class.” Lena interjected. 

“Wait you have my dad for class?” 

“She’s in one of mine as well,” Eliza added.

“But you guys said you only taught upperclassmen and only the honors class!” Alex fretted; what if the people in her grade had also heard the horrifying meet cute that her father felt inclined to share. 

“Lena’s an exception, don’t worry Alex.” Eliza chuckled. “Lena I hope you feel challenged in our courses; the director informed us you’ve done independent study in placement of normal science courses thus far.”

“What? How?” Alex gave Lena an incredulous look. “Can I do independent study instead too?” 

“Sure, if you score higher on the apex science exams than all of the science faculty at school, you’re free to pursue that course. I hope you don’t mind us saying this, Lena, but we were brought on specifically because we scored higher than you.”

“No worries, Dr. Danvers, both of you, I’m actually really glad to have teachers this semester. I was getting kind of bored on my own.” 

Kara took a moment to appraise the girl sitting next to her with mild awe. Although science on Krypton was far superior to anything she had encountered on Earth, she still respected the fact that her guardians were highly capable scientists. 

“Great, you’re a genius.” Alex muttered.

“Speaking of the honors class, we noticed you weren’t there today sweetie.” Eliza spoke up and offered Kara a concerned look.

Alex hacked on her soup once more and cleared her throat before exclaiming, “Kara’s in your class?”

“Your sister tested into both of our honor’s courses. We just didn’t want to point out that you were missing on the first day. Is everything alright?”

Kara shrugged, “I just didn’t feel too good. Next time I’ll let Alex know.” 

“So does that mean?” Lena glanced at Kara. Her lab partner had been the only one who hadn’t shown up for class. “Kara’s my lab partner?” 

Now it was Kara’s turn to choke on her soup. 

Jeremiah nodded. “We thought you’d two make a good pair since you’re the same age. Lena’s also two years ahead of her grade, Kara.” 

“Great…” Alex muttered. “Nerds, I’m surrounded by nerds! I’m glad you two only teach honor’s courses. I don’t think I could function in a class with either of you present AND Kara.”

Kara didn’t speak much for the rest of the dinner, but she took her time to examine the dynamics of the table. Somehow everything seemed brighter; everyone’s face was more animated and Kara even felt warmer than usual. Was it because Lena was sitting at their table? Could one person really change everything so quickly? Kara fought the swell of feelings that she could neither name or place. It felt strange… familiar, but forgotten. Almost like happiness. 

Wrong… you can’t be happy. How could you possibly be happy? Kara bit her lip as her inner voice hissed at her bubbling feelings. Krypton is gone. Your mom. Your Dad. Everyone is gone. Dead… and you’re alive. Her stomach clenched with guilt; she had survived in order to preserve some part of the kryptonian heritage… yet here she was playing at being human. And you’ll never be one of them… even if you wanted to. You’re dangerous on this planet. You’re a danger to them. 

“Kara, ready to commence operation moonlight?” Lena asked as Alex cleared the table. “Hey, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. We fed you, so you’re under contract,” Kara answered dryly as she rose to lead the way. “We are going outside to do witchcraft.” 

Eliza’s jaw went a little slack before Lena added, “we’ll be needing a shovel.”

“Should I be concerned?” Eliza asked.

“I promise it isn’t anything crazy,” Lena assured the elder woman.

“Yeah come on mom, when’s the last time Kara looked so excited?” Alex smirked as she pointed at Kara’s lackluster expression, “super duper excited aren’t you Kar?” 

“I will deal with you later,” Kara repeated and glared at Alex. “I’ll just dig with my hands.”

“No, hold on, in the shed out back there’ll be a gardening shovel, go ahead and use that.” Jeremiah pitched in.

“Thanks Dr. Danvers, be back in a bit!” Lena smiled back at Kara who looked a little flushed, but Lena wasn’t sure because the girl turned around swiftly and marched out the back door. 

While Kara went to go fetch the shovel, Lena found a proper spot to bury the box. It had to be out of the way and nowhere near the garden beds. There was a dead patch of grass in the corner that Lena thought would suit their needs, so she crouched by the area and beckoned Kara over.The blonde kneeled down beside her and insisted on being the one who dug the hole. In the light of the moon, Lena did her best not to ogle the hardworking blonde but it seemed futile. Kara was… chiseled by the gods. She hadn’t seen Kara’s arms outside of her jacket or uniform, and while she thought the girl might be athletic, she never imagined this. 

“This should be big enough,” Kara stated.

“Oh, right… yeah that’s definitely deep enough.” Lena snapped out of her thoughts and registered Kara’s dug up hole. “Sorry I spaced out for a bit.” 

“Spaced… out?” Kara asked as she took the box from Lena. Did this human know of a way to travel to space with her mind alone? She wished she could do the same, if so. It’d be nice to escape from this planet even if it was just astral projection.

“It’s a phrase for being absent minded,” Lena explained.

“Oh,” Kara couldn’t help but feel disappointed. 

“Go ahead and put it in and I’ll cover it up since you did all the hard work.” Lena instructed gently. 

Kara did as she was told and then watched the girl get to work. She noticed, under the light of the moon, Lena seemed to glow with a radiance that left Kara feeling a number of fluttering feelings. She marveled at how smooth and pale her skin was and how her green eyes seemed to twinkle with star light. 

“Zrhueiao…” 

“Hmmm?” Lena hummed as she patted the dirt. When her eyes lifted to meet Kara’s she felt a shiver run up down her spine. She wasn’t too good at reading the pensive blonde but she’d never seen her look so gentle as she did in that moment. “I’m sorry I missed that, what did you--”

“Nothing,” Kara’s face resumed it’s stony expression and the blonde stood up and walked towards the house before Lena could tell her to wait up. 

“There you are,” a cold voice caused Kara to pause and glance sharply to her right. A woman with a tight frown and cold, blue eyes stood with her arms crossed. The kryptonian was startled at her appearance and wondered if Lena had somehow summoned her with her glass spell. 

“I came home early specifically to have dinner with you after a rather trying business ordeal,” the woman continued as she walked closer to Lena. “I suppose I shouldn’t expect much etiquette or consideration from the likes of you.”

The kryptonian peered over at Lena to see how she’d react to such a strange and intimidating woman. She wasn’t sure if it was normal for a woman to just appear out of the darkness and demand dinner guests, but she didn't much like her harassing tone, and when she saw how down cast Lena looked, she didn’t much like the lady at all. Earlier Lena had looked so full of light and joy, and now… she looked frightened. Kara’s brow furrowed as she backtracked to Lena’s side and glared at Lillian. 

“Don’t talk to her like that… return to the dirt demon woman.” Kara’s voice was firm and she could tell the woman was shocked by the way her eyes widened and her lip curled. Lena’s eyes widened comically as she tried to refrain from laughing, but a quick glance at Lillian iced her giddiness. 

“Lena what riff raff have you managed to associate with?”

“Kara is not riff raff,” Lena spoke softly and then sighed. “Kara it’s ok, I’m not worth getting in trouble for.” 

Kara gave Lena a confused expression; why would she get in trouble for sending a troubled spirit back to whence it came? She turned back to the angered woman and noticed that Eliza and Jeremiah were heading their way. 

“Kara? Lena? Are you two alright?” Eliza called out and then turned to the stranger, “oh...Mrs. Luthor, sorry we had no idea you were out here.” 

“Lillian Luthor… and if I’m not mistaken, you are the professors I directed the school to hire,” Lillian eyed them warily.

“Yes, Dr. Danvers and Dr. Danvers,” Jeremiah jested but it did nothing to lighten the mood. He cleared his throat and continued, “we thought having Lena over for dinner would allow us to get a better grasp of what would be the next level for her growth, sorry if it’s caused some kind of inconvenience.”

“How very informal. Please schedule further meetings with me, when necessary. If you had answered your phone, Lena, this wouldn’t have been such a problem.” Lillian snapped, 

Lena ducked her head but replied, “I’m sorry, I forgot to take it off silent after school.” 

“How careless… either way, it’s time to go home.”

“Thank you all for dinner,” Lena murmured and joined Lillian at her side. “Bye Kara.”

Kara watched Lena slink away with that demon woman and felt an urge to follow, but Lena had told her not to. She had said she wasn’t worth getting in trouble for. The human girl had crumpled in that woman’s gaze and Kara felt the need to defend her. It was almost like she cared. The kryptonian frowned and clenched her fist; she only snapped out of her thoughts when Eliza rubbed her shoulder and told her to come back inside. She did as she was told and went up to her balcony. Kara took a deep breath and focused on the sound that was becoming natural for her to seek out. When she finally zoned in on Lena’s heartbeat, her own fell. It beat unevenly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Concerns for Lena? Do we still think Kara is kind of a jerk?


	4. Sense and Sensibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In search of chocobars, Kara finds herself in a bit of a spat. Her feelings for Lena are all over the place and she's encountered a talking...book? Right, little is making sense as she continues mapping out her emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait! Hope to post another soon! Thanks for reading guys :)

Lena curled into herself as she pulled her down comforter around her body and burrowed her head under her pillows. She hissed when she placed too much pressure on her wrist and pinched her lips. Lillian had never struck her; she was smarter than that. On the outside, Lena and Lillian were a loving mother and daughter duo, just like how on the outside there wasn’t a mark on her body. Bruises and cuts were never appealing to the head of the Luthor household. However, she had this way of yanking Lena around that often left the teenager tender and sore. What Lena hated most was the way Lillian berated her; no matter how many times it happened, Lena always took it to heart. After hours of listening to Lillian list the many ways Lena was unworthy of the Luthor name, she had been allowed to return to her room. 

Her tears ran hot down her cheeks and she bit down on her lip to keep it from quivering. She hadn’t done anything wrong. With slow, cautious movements, Lena pulled a raggedy teddy bear to her chest and breathed in deeply. Soft scents of lilac wafted gently through her nose and the brunette felt lulled into a safer space--one where Lillian couldn’t reach her. It was her mother’s scent that always brought her comfort when she needed it, her real mother, and it was a firm reminder that Lena was more than the Luthor name. 

The next day, much to Lena’s disappointment, Kara was back to avoiding her. She had glanced and caught Kara momentarily standing at the vending machines, but the girl disappeared before Lena could even smile at her. In class, the blonde muttered ever so often during the lecture and Lena wondered if math always made the girl furrow her brows in frustration. 

“Kara, would you like to share your thoughts with the class?” 

Alex’s eyes went wide as she glanced at her obviously frustrated alien sister. 

“I thought that was your job,” Kara replied with a raised brow; why was she suddenly being volunteered to teach? Laughter bubbled throughout the classroom, further confusing the kryptonian. 

“Very funny Kara; please try and focus.”

“I am focused but this math is redundant,” Kara muttered.

“What was that?” 

“Nothing,” Kara sighed as the teacher leered down at her and the class continued to snicker. “Nothing you would understand.” 

“That’s enough Miss Danvers, that’ll be a 30 minute detention period with our math tutor.”

“What? Why?” Kara met the teacher’s gaze with cold, steel blue eyes. “I don’t need help with this! It’s just so…” Kara clenched her jaw as Alex coughed and gave her a trepid expression. Right… she wasn’t supposed to stand out, and schooling the calculus teacher wasn’t exactly keeping a low profile. “Fine, I don’t care.” 

The teacher sighed, “Lena do you mind? I know you said you had to leave early today, but I can email your mother and let her know the circumstances.” 

Lena shifted uncomfortably in her seat before responding, “that’s fine Miss Pindar, as long as you send it sooner rather than later.”

“Yes, of course, thank you. Miss Danvers you’ll be reporting after school to the math lab. Don’t even think about ditching.” 

Kara let out a barely contained snarl and glared at Lena, but found herself reeling back when she saw the girl flinch. Class resumed and Kara couldn’t shake Lena’s reaction out of her mind. She hadn’t meant to scare her; Kara was just overwhelmed by how easily she managed to get in trouble at the start of the day, and for telling the truth no less. It wasn’t her fault earth math was slow and clunky, it also wasn’t her fault that she didn’t want to share with the rest of the class, and it definitely wasn’t her fault that Lena flinched… or was it? 

Kara dug into her bag and felt the plastic wrap of the chocobars she had gotten earlier from the strange glass box. She hadn’t been able to figure out what exactly she was supposed to give it, but she managed to tilt it forward enough so that the candy just fell out. They were mostly for her, but… she had thought of giving Lena one for her magic services last night.

“Kara!” Alex shouted and Kara winced at the pitch. 

“What?” Kara snapped. 

“The bell rang like a minute ago,” Alex huffed as she gave up trying to lift Kara from her chair. The girl was immovable when she wasn’t paying attention. 

Kara looked ahead and saw that Lena had already left and quickly got up from her desk, nearly knocking Alex down. She heard Alex shout something, but was already out in the hall scanning for the brunette. At the far end she spotted Lena’s long hair as she exited to the courtyard. Kara rushed by, careful to not bump into fragile humans and caught the girl by the wrist before she could walk any further. 

“Agh,” Lena whimpered and retracted her hand. 

Kara quickly pulled her hand back and fretted inwardly. Had she hurt her accidentally? 

“I’m sorry,” Kara said. “I didn’t mean--” 

“It’s not your fault Kara,” Lena assured her with a sad smile, and somehow Kara only felt worse. “Sorry about detention; I promise it won’t be too intolerable.” 

Kara dug into her bag and pulled out a chocobar. “Here.” 

Lena took the chocobar and smiled wide. “Thanks, I could definitely do with some chocolate.” 

“Because of the demon woman?” Kara asked and examined her face for a reaction.

“Mmhmm,” Lena shrugged, “there’s no pleasing her.”

“She’s not nice… she… hurt you?” Kara looked at Lena’s slightly red wrist that was mostly covered by her uniform jacket.

“No… I,” Lena bit down on her lip. “I’m clumsy.”

“Humans are fragile,” Kara sighed and shook her head, thinking back on how Lena had cut herself with the mirror; she’d have to watch Lena more often since apparently she was apt in hurting herself. 

Wait. Watch her? Why should you care? She’s just a human… you don’t need to protect her. You can’t protect anybody. You’d probably just hurt her anyways.

“I suppose we are,” Lena chuckled and unwrapped her chocobar, “but this helps.”

“I…” Kara felt her chest tighten. You’d probably just hurt her anyways. You’re better off on your own. “I still don’t like you...” Kara saw the green in Lena’s eyes dim and the kryptonian let more words fall, “as much as I like chocolate.”

Lena’s bright eyes returned and Kara felt her body relax. “That would be the highest honor,” Lena playfully responded. “Anyways we better head to class before you get in any more trouble.” 

Kara shrugged and didn’t budge, but then Lena pulled on the corner of her jacket and Kara decided she would allow the human to lead her. When they arrived in class, the blonde was alarmed at how many eyes zoned in on her, so she did what she thought was best and glared back at them. She smirked at the seeming power she harbored when making eye contact; anyone’s gaze she met instantly turned away, sometimes with a meep.

When the bell rang again, Kara took off before either Alex or Lena could pin her down. She had overheard some kids talking about the library being a place of solitude and filled with books; two things Kara found herself wanting more of. Confusion ran rampant in her heart as she thought of the green eyed-girl. On one hand Kara was naturally attracted to her, and on the other hand, Kara was set on keeping her distance. 

When she entered the library, Kara was astounded. There were shelves and shelves of books, actual bound pages very unlike the archives she was used to back home. She wandered into the thick of the shelves and relished how much quieter it actually was. The shelves were elegant, oak structures that looked well kept. 

“If she’s the type to get hurt all the time, it’s probably best to keep my distance.” Kara thought aloud as she perused the aisle of books and pulled out a book with a rustic cover.

“Not necessarily,” a snarky voice with a somewhat disinterested tone responded. 

Kara looked down at the book in her hand with wide eyes. Was this Lena’s doing? “A talking book?” 

“Alright kid what kind of drugs are you on?” The voice asked and Kara wasn’t sure how to answer. 

“I don’t know these drugs you speak of,” Kara answered honestly and marveled at the book's cover--Sense and Sensibility. Surely this magical book could aid her thoughts on the human girl. “I’ve never spoken to a book before. It’s far better than speaking to a human. Why did you say ‘not necessarily’?” 

“Well as long as it’s your first time talking to a book, I guess I could help,” the voice teased. “As to your prior comment, why do you think distance is the answer?” 

“Well, because…” Kara sighed, “I’m different, and I don’t want to be here. Lena is probably a good person and she already has a demon woman in her life; she doesn’t need another. Distance would keep her safe from me.” 

“Oh! We’re speaking of Lena Luthor, are we?” 

“You know her? Is it because she does magic?” Kara asked in all sincerity. 

“Uh sure, we’ll go with that. I’m guessing the demon woman you’re talking about is her stepmother Lillian. The largest pain in the ass benefactress I have ever known in the history of this preparatory. Am I right?” 

“You are right!” Kara gasped.

“It was a rhetorical question, dear. I’m always right. Anyways, I doubt you’re anything like Lillian. If Lena reached out to you, it’s probably because she knows that too.” 

Kara scoffed, “I’ve been nothing but mean to her and she still won’t leave me be.”

“Once that girl has her sights set on a certain goal, there’s hardly anything that’ll get her to stop. Sounds like you’re stuck with her.”

“But why?” 

The book chuckled and then said, “I guess she thinks you’re worth saving.”

“But I--”

“Will Kara Danvers please report to the front office… immediately.”

“Great now what?” Kara groaned. “I’ll be back magical book of sense and sensibility.” 

With haste, Kara put the book back on the shelf and rushed out of the library. Meanwhile a lithe woman with short, blonde hair walked out of the aisle that had been beside Kara’s. 

“I should have probably told her I’m not a magical book,” Cat laughed and sighed. “Kara Danvers… I’ve already got quite a bit of paperwork thanks to you, and I should probably go see what you were called to the office for. I am headmaster after all. Yep, no time to lose.”

Kara arrived at the front office and was startled to find her adoptive parents waiting for her with arms crossed. She approached them with a level of trepidation that she hadn’t felt in awhile. 

“Kara do you know why you’ve been called to the front office?” Eliza asked gently. 

“No,” Kara answered honestly.

Immediately after her response, the front desk lady she saw every morning slapped down a hefty amount of snacks on the counter. “These look familiar?” The young woman asked. 

“Uhhh… nope,” Kara shrugged and crossed her arms. 

“Then you don’t mind if we check your bag right?” 

“Check it for what?” Kara perked up a brow and smirked. She had devoured the chocobars on her way over here. She took her bag off her back and pushed it forward. “Knock yourself out, though.” 

The lady leered but took her bag hastily and rummaged through it. Much to the woman’s chagrin, there was only her laptop, a notebook and a sketch pad. 

“So why am I here?” Kara asked.

“It doesn’t matter, you probably ate all the snacks earlier. We have an eye witness that said they saw you vandalize the vending machine.”

“Vandalize?” Kara looked to Jeremiah and Eliza.

“Did you force the machine to give you snacks?” Jeremiah clarified. 

“Tch, no…” Kara said dismissively. 

“This school is full of upstanding students which is why we don’t have cameras monitoring those machines, but it’s also why we take any reports very seriously. Unless you can provide an alibi--”

“She didn’t do it!” 

Kara sharply looked to her right and found an out of breath Lena Luthor catching her breath right beside her. 

“I… I saw her in the morning and… and she didn’t do anything to the machine.” Lena said in between deep breaths. 

“Miss Luthor I wouldn’t condone lying for--”

“Miss Tessmacher, what makes you think I’m lying.” 

“I… I didn’t, it’s just… well why would the other person lie?” 

“Who was the other student?” Eliza asked.

“I’m not supposed to say…” Miss Tessmacher shrunk in her seat. 

“Is it someone who would have something against Kara?” Lena asked. 

Miss Tessmacher was about to respond when a snap of fingers caused her jaw to snap shut. Cat Grant walked down the hall, the click clack of her heels echoing off the walls, and pulled her secretary into her office.

“What are you doing here?” Kara asked as she glanced at Lena; her heart was racing, meaning she most likely ran here.

“I heard your name over the intercom, I thought you might need my help.” Lena offered her a smile and Kara quickly looked away. 

“I didn’t,” Kara began but Jeremiah was quick to intervene.

“Thank you Lena. Kara you have a bit of chocolate on your chin,” Jeremiah pointed at his chin. “I’m taking it you had chocobars for lunch.”

“I…” Kara sighed, “I didn’t know how…” 

“Miss Danvers,” Eve called out as she exited the headmaster’s office. “You’re free to go, sorry for the misunderstanding. Sorry for taking up your time Dr. Danvers.”

“Great, I need to go” Kara smiled and walked a good bit away until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Here, you’ll need this next time you want more chocobars,” Jeremiah grinned; “I’m also quite a fan.” 

Kara took the paper bill and nodded shyly. “Thanks.”

“See you in class later today,” Jeremiah said before taking off towards his class with his wife at his side, leaving a somewhat awkward Lena behind. 

Kara was about to walk away without saying a word when her stomach grumbled loudly. Lena giggled and unzipped her bag only for Kara’s stomach to grumble even louder. 

“I don’t think chocobars, by themselves, make for a fulfilling meal.” Lena commented and handed Kara her bento box. “It’s not much, but it’ll hold you over until detention.” 

“There’s food in school jail?” Kara asked in awe, already scarfing down the remnants of Lena’s leftovers. Krypton did not have detention centers for children, and adult offenders were always sent to Fort Rozz. 

“It’s not jail.” Lena rolled her eyes but grinned, “and I just so happen to know a pizza delivery boy who has a work period. Winn’s already agreed to drop by” 

Kara wasn’t sure of half of the things that Lena had said, but decided that the promise of food was good enough. The bell rang and Kara internally sighed; she had wanted to go back to the library and speak with the talking book. The book had said that Lena thought she was ‘worth saving’ but Kara didn’t need saving. She had already been saved and she wished she hadn’t. She felt a tug on her jacket and saw that Lena had taken a hold of it again. Kara thought to swat her hand away, but she didn’t want her eyes to dull like they had when the kryptonian had told her she didn’t like her. 

“I’m honored by the way,” Lena began as they made their way to class. 

“Hmm?” Kara grunted.

“That you would share your loot with me.” Lena finished. 

“It was payment for your magic,” Kara corrected her. “Not a gift.”

“I’ll take a chocolate payment anyday; ready for class, lab partner?” Lena replied, easily brushing off Kara’s comment.

Kara refrained from nodding and only sighed when Lena chuckled at her stoic expression. There really was no possible way to shake off Lena without hurting her. Until she could consult the talking book again, she’d just have to deal with Lena’s perpetual goodwill. Class started with Jeremiah giving a brief lecture and then allowing each team to commence with their lab. 

Before Kara could go about the lab, Lena caught her up to speed on the lecture she had missed all while setting up the lab. The blonde noted how dapper and excited Lena was when she lined up their samples and talked science. It was surprising how well versed she was on the subject, and Kara found herself asking questions easily. 

The young Luthor smiled wide at Kara’s receptive nature and was equally wowed by the depth of Kara’s inquiries, but what caught Lena off guard most was when Kara smiled. It was different from her mischievous smirks and cocky grins. It was softer and reached her eyes, but Lena would linger too long and Kara quickly swept the genuine smile off her face. 

‘She is smart… and pretty,’ Kara thought as she watched Lena prepare a solution; she made small adjustments to the mix and advised Lena to go along with different methods. Surprisingly Lena caught on without much explanation. ‘Maybe… she isn’t human.’ Kara pondered the idea that Lena could, in fact, be an alien like her. ‘But she is fragile… she’s not like me,’ Kara shook her head. 

Their second class with Eliza passed in a similar manner. Although more conscious of her smile, Kara found herself easing up with Lena by her side. It wasn’t that she liked the girl any more or less than she had before, it was just that Lena wasn’t half as annoying as most humans tended to be. For one, she smelled nice and when she spoke it was fairly pleasant in Kara’s opinion. She also didn’t waste Kara’s time or make Kara feel… weird. With the Danvers, Kara always felt like they were just waiting for her to snap or on other days, she felt like they expected her to be more than she was. More human. More happy. Just… more than she was, and Kara felt suffocated. With others she felt detached and often lost in conversations that made her feel completely out of place. Lena explained things without Kara asking her to; Lena never asked her to be more. At least, she hadn’t yet. 

You’re getting ahead of yourself. You’re imagining she’s one of your kind.

Kara’s inner voice was right. No matter how much she wanted to not feel alone, she couldn’t just imagine Lena was like her. No one was like her; no one on this planet remembered Krypton the way she did. No one could speak kryptonese with her, no one prayed to Rao like she did… 

She absentmindedly followed Lena to the math lab after their last class let out and continued to let her inner voice list the many reasons why seeking comfort from the human would be an act of folly. 

“Kara are you ok?” Lena asked with an arched brow; the blonde had held a pensive expression for an extended amount of time. 

Kara rolled her shoulders and replied, “I’m fine.”

“Pizza should be here soon if it’s your stomach.” 

Kara grunted but said nothing more. Whatever this pizza was, she doubted it would help her current mood. She wanted to fly away, high above the stratosphere and just float… perhaps she’d just freeze and all her rampant thoughts would come to a pause. She shifted in her seat and thought of doing just that until an unfamiliar aroma hit her nose. 

“One pepperoni and cheese pizza!” Winn exclaimed as he stormed into the room with a cardboard box. 

Kara zeroed in on the box and felt her mouth water. Winn grinned nervously at the ravenous expression on the blonde’s face and glanced at Lena.

“Is she… okay?”

“She’s just hungry, I think.” Lena took the box from Winn and spread it open on the desk. “Here ya go,” Lena said and handed Kara a slice on a napkin. 

With the finesse of a starving beast, Kara devoured the delectable offering. Both Winn and Lena looked in horror and awe as Kara went for another piece...and then another… until the box was empty. 

“Are we sure she’s human?” Winn jokingly asked and received a slap on the shoulder from Lena. “Hey!”

“She only had chocolate for lunch, be nice.” 

Winn looked down at his smart watch. “Lena… two and a half minutes. She scarfed down a pizza in two and a half minutes.”

“Do you have more?” Kara asked while smacking her lips and both Lena and Winn’s eyebrows rose to their hairline.

“More? No… I mean I do, but they’re for other customers.” Winn explained. “I can’t just--”

“Can I buy another one off you?” Lena asked. “100 percent tip?”

“Is that… are you… are you bribing me, Lena Luthor?” Winn asked in mock offense.

“Maybe,” Lena smirked. “Plus I kinda wanted a slice too.” 

At this Kara ducked her head. She had completely lost control the moment the pizza had entered her mouth. She hadn’t even given a sliver of a thought to the idea of Lena also being hungry. Kara took out the paper bill Jeremiah had given her and handed it to Lena.

“Sorry,” Kara muttered.

“Oh,” Lena looked at the five dollar bill and pushed it back towards Kara, “no, it’s ok really, Winn’s got my card on tab...”

Kara growled lowly and then handed the bill to Winn. “Take it,” she said forcefully with a stern gaze. 

“Ok,” Winn meeped and took the bill hastily. “I’ll be right back.” 

When Winn returned, Lena asked if he could possibly provide another. He sighed but nodded before he left to procure another pizza. Lena opened the box and offered Kara a slice, but the blonde shook her head. 

“You eat first, and then I’ll eat what’s left,” Kara replied. 

“I can only stomach two,” Lena giggled. “Feel free to attack the rest.”

Kara smiled wide and grabbed two slices, one in each hand before shoving them into her mouth. “Thif beffer thanf a chocofar.” Kara gulped down her food and cleared her throat, “much better than a chocobar; I didn’t know that was possible.”

“Wait…” Lena’s eyes went wide. “This is your first time eating pizza?”

Kara nodded. “Pizza… what a wonderful creation.” Humans weren’t completely useless after all. 

“But how?”

“We didn’t…” Kara paused as her mother and father’s faces popped into her head. The image was vibrant, as if it was being burned into her brain, so that even if she willed it away a residual image would remain. She didn’t will it away. As if anxious of forgetting their faces, Kara held onto the image of their faces with desperation.

Lena mentally smacked herself for her lack of awareness. 

Kara was also adopted… it’s been almost a year and a half. 

Alex’s voice ringed in her head.

“Kara, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean--” 

“I miss them.” Kara whispered as she looked forlornly down at her pizza. “I think… they would have liked pizza too.” 

Lena paused before placing her hand on Kara’s. She knew the blonde wasn’t fond of her touch, but at this moment Kara looked soft. The instant her skin made contact with Kara’s, Lena felt a wave of sorrow pull her under and for a second the Luthor felt unable to breathe. Then Kara’s blue gaze met hers and it was like reemerging for fresh air. 

“I’m sure you’re right,” Lena spoke softly. “You devoured a whole box, so I mean it might actually be genetic.”

Kara let out a genuine laugh and Lena was enamored with the sound. It sounded so full and carefree; Kara’s sterling blue eyes twinkled with joy. 

“Third and final pizza has arrived!” Winn shouted as he barged through the door. His gaze fell on Lena’s hand on Kara’s and he couldn’t help from wiggling his eyebrows. “Oh did I interrupt something important? I can always--”

“Give me the pizza, take your tip and don’t say another word, or perish.” Lena commanded.

Kara’s eyes went wide at the sudden authoritarian that the brunette had become. She looked Lena over and noticed that her usually pale cheeks were tinged pink and Kara wondered if that’s what happened to her face any time she threatened others so aggressively. Kara found it… attractive to say the least. She smiled as Lena snagged the pizza away from Winn and pushed him out as he continued to wiggle his eyebrows. Even if she was human, she was different.

“You can have half,” Lena clarified as she put down the box on the desk.

Good different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pizza is one thing we got right for sure.


	5. Holding On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara finds that there are many emotions to contend with, but some are more important than others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Hoping to post more now that I've got a bit more energy to spare. Thank you all for your comments and kudos! Feels good to be back :)

Kara made a habit of disappearing at lunch time to visit the magical book she had encountered at the library. It seemed to be a vast fountain of knowledge on humans, or so Kara thought. She had once snapped at the book for rudely commenting on her grumbling stomach. The price of visiting the talking book was that she had to forfeit getting her lunch; otherwise Lena or Alex might actually figure out where she had taken refuge. The next day, on top of the book was a strange plastic container. 

“What is this?” Kara pulled back the plastic top and found food tucked in neatly in boxed compartments. 

“It’s a lunchable, not sure if they had them on your planet.” The book replied snarkily, and yes the book knew that Kara was not of this planet. She had gathered as much when Kara had revealed why she was drawn to Lena, and why she shouldn’t get near her. She reminds me of home, but it’s gone now and I’m alone. I’ll always be alone… even if Kal-el flies around in his weird costume saying he’s the last son of Krypton. He’s not the last Kryptonian… I am.

Kara scarfed down the food, barely allowing herself to gulp before she realized there was no more. She smacked her lips and thanked the book for it’s thoughtfulness. She hadn’t realized the book could materialize things. She looked down at the cover of the book again and traced the name of the author. 

“Jane Austen… was she a witch?” Kara asked.

The book chuckled, “some might have thought so.”

“Then how did you end up being magical?” 

“Are we here to discuss me or you? Still annoyed by the little Luthor?” The book deflected and got them back on a familiar course. 

Kara shuffled her feet for a bit, troubled by her lack of an answer. The more time she spent with Lena in science labs, the more she was drawn to the dark-haired girl. She was brilliant in applying techniques and naturally curious to improve upon them… she was amazing. Kara imagined she would have fit right in on Krypton… 

“She would have been admitted into the Science Guild on Krypton; she has the mind for it.” Kara admitted with a sigh. “When I’m with her, I don’t miss home as much, but then I’m back home and it hurts all over again.”

The book hummed. “Such a loss is something you’ll always carry. As for Lena, she is a special girl… do you still think you’re a danger to her?”

Kara chewed her lip before answering. “I broke a boy’s nose at my last school…”

Cat perked up; she had heard about this when reviewing their transfer files. The boy hadn’t offered a testimony of any sort and Kara had just shrugged her shoulders. 

“He was trying to kiss me, and I… I thought it might be an okay distraction, so I leaned in,” Kara inhaled sharply as she recalled the cracking sound that followed shortly. “I broke his nose because I tried to kiss back.”

The book let out a cantankerous laugh and Kara couldn’t help but glare at it. 

“You poor girl, I’m so sorry, was that your first kiss?”

“Almost kiss… I broke his nose when I leaned in.” Kara muttered. “I’m glad this is funny to you.”

“Perhaps that’s for the best,” Cat collected herself and smirked. “So… do you feel like kissing Lena?” 

Kara felt heat rush to her face and gripped the book a little harder. “I… I’m not sure. I guess sometimes I feel like I might.”

“Do you think it’s because she looks like your people? Perfect jaws and what not.” 

Kara rolled her eyes; this book was a little shit sometimes. “She’s more than just a pretty face,” Kara grumbled.

“Good, I’m glad even you can see that. Lena is the closest I’ll probably ever come to loving a kid.”

“You love her?” Kara asked, her eyes wide. 

“Like a daughter, you dolt. Don’t get all riled up now and blast a laser through me, or whatever you Kryptonians do when you fight over girls.”

“We do not fight over girls!” Kara remarked indignantly.

“You best get to class… nosebreaker.” Cat teased. 

“You… ugh!” Kara jammed the book back in its place and made her way out of the library. 

Cat waited awhile before rising to leave. She wondered how long she would be able to continue being the “magical book” and if revealing herself to Kara would only make the girl shut herself further. A kryptonian enrolled at her institution… it truly was an honor, but there was one potential pitfall. Lillian Luthor had most of the faculty under the sway of her deep pockets. If there were incidents, Lillian would hear of them. It was mostly to keep an eye on Lena, but Cat knew if anything caught Lillian’s interest, she’d get to the heart of the matter. She’d have to protect Kara as best she could.

After school, Lena pulled on Kara’s sleeve before she could leave the lab. Kara raised her brow and met Lena’s gaze. 

“I noticed… your stomach has been grumbling as of late, but not as much today.” Lena began and watched Kara’s face carefully. The brunette didn’t know why she couldn’t just ask Kara outright if she had been having lunch with someone else… or not having lunch and doing other things. It clearly wasn’t any of her business. For once, Lena felt tongue-tied. “Did you find other people to hang out with during lunch?”

“I…” Kara very well couldn’t tell her about the magical book that loved her. “I sometimes go to the library… to be alone.” 

“Oh,” Lena’s eyes seemed to reflect a brighter green than before and she smiled. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t pester you. Would you like to join me at the pizza parlor? Winn’s not working but it’s where we usually like to hang out.” 

“Pizza…” Kara hummed at the fond memory and then her stomach grumbled. 

“Come on, I’ll order extra,” Lena chuckled and pulled Kara by the sleeve.

The Kryptonian followed, allowing Lena to hold on to her sleeve. 

Lena sat at the parlor table, crossing and uncrossing her legs. Winn should have been here already. He had told her that him and Sam had already nabbed their favorite corner booth. While the booth had indeed been reserved with a flimsy paper that read “Nerds Only”, neither Winn or Sam were in sight. 

“Is Alex on her way?” Lena asked. 

Kara shook her head, “she said she didn’t want to be a third wheel.”

Lena choked on the sparkling water she had been sipping on. 

“So dumb…” Kara muttered, “we aren’t even wheels. Where are your friends?”

Lena recovered from her small hiccup and bit her lower lip. Her friends had definitely set her up, and even Alex seemed to be in on it. Kara looked at her with a raised brow and Lena felt herself gulp before answering. 

“They can’t make it,” Lena coughed and then called over the waiter. “Can we just have two large pepperoni pizzas.” She’d show her friends that it wasn’t like that between her and Kara. They were just friends… if that. 

“Coming right up!” 

Truth be told, Kara was opening up to her in lab, but outside of lab she was as stoic and distant as ever; even more so now that she was hiding in the library. Kara looked appeased by the order of pizza and sank back into her seat. 

“So ummm… sorry it’s just me.”

“It’s fine. I’ve eaten pizza with you before.” Kara shrugged unsure of what the big deal was.

“Right, of course, in detention.” Lena took another sip of her water. 

“Do you know Jane Austen?” Kara asked suddenly. 

Lena nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’ve read her books.”

“You have?” Kara’s eyes went wide. Did this mean that Lena already knew about the talking book? “Sense and Sensibility?”

“Of course, and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.” Lena smiled. 

Kara gasped; there was another magical book that featured sea monsters and Lena wasn’t at all intimidated by it. She wasn’t sure she could handle that just yet. Talking to her book was good enough for now. 

“Is that what you’ve been reading in the library?”

Kara nodded. “Kind of.”

“That’s great, you’re quite studious and I thought lunch was your favorite time of the day.” 

“The book provided food for me today.” 

Lena scrunched her brow and tried to make sense of Kara’s words. Either Kara was being poetic or something strange was happening at the library. It was probably the former… Alex had told her that Kara used phrases strangely. 

They sat in awkward silence for a good while because Lena wasn’t sure what to talk about next and Kara was lost in her own inner monologue. When the waiter came with their two platters of pizza, Lena was grateful. Until he placed the pizzas on their holders and then placed a vase with a single rose and placed a lit candle by its side. 

“Courtesy of Winn.” The waiter explained and gave Lena a wink. “He said to make the most of it.” 

“That idiot,” Lena murmured and slid her hand down her face. “Kara, I’m so sorry.” 

Lena turned to look at Kara who had one slice pretty much crammed in her mouth and two others in her hands. The brunette laughed and gently wiped a bit of sauce that had gotten on Kara’s chin. 

“Make sure you chew.” 

Kara took a moment to swallow before asking, “does Winn… like you?” 

“As more than a friend?” Lena clarified.

Kara nodded and looked at the pizzas, “he said courtesy of Winn right? Winn wanted you to have all this pizza and even a flower and this thing.” 

“A candlelit dinner, yeah…” Lena sighed; Kara hadn’t even realized they’d been set up. “But no Winn doesn’t like me like that. He just knows I don’t get to enjoy myself often. When my stepmother’s out of town, I like to hang out here with everyone.”

“Oh…” Kara looked down at her hands after devouring two more slices, “me too?”

“I was hoping you might like to join,” Lena offered. “I’m sorry it’s just me today.” 

“I don’t usually like humans.” Kara said nonchalantly, but then added, “but you’re different. Good different, for now.”

Lena smiled, for now, that was good enough. She wasn’t about to push her luck. The pizza dinner passed by pleasantly with the two tossing ideas for their annual project that would be displayed at the yearly science fair held by their school. Eliza and Jeremiah had told them they didn’t have to participate this year, but both her and Lena had expressed interest, although Kara hadn’t outwardly expressed this, Lena caught on and made sure they would be considered as entrants.

When Kara returned home, courtesy of a ride from Lena, she felt an almost forgotten feeling. She was excited for tomorrow and the day after… she was looking forward to another day on this planet. 

Have you already forgotten, kir ehl?

Kara swiveled hard as she heard her mother’s voice echo in the darkness. 

“Mother?” Kara cried out weakly as she reached forward, but quickly retracted her hand. Her mother wasn’t here; she knew that. She knew she had remained on Krypton, and that Krypton had torn itself open from the inside out. “I’ll never forget. I promise.”

Kara clenched her fist and let her pain coarse through her. This pain was all she had left of Krypton; she couldn’t replace it with good feelings. She couldn’t let it go. Not for Lena… not for anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter! But more often updates? I don't know, is that better or worse? I have a habit of obsessing over a chapter and holding onto it for too long, so I'm trying to release shorter chaps for each of my fics in an attempt to not do that. Anyhow... Kara... she's a tough cookie, but yeah... loss is a bitch.
> 
> Ahhh! I forgot to mention that the translation for "kir ehl" is little star. I use it as a term of endearment. I've been using the kryptonian translator so much that I forget it's not an established language that everyone is going to recognize straight away haha. I use kryptonian.info for all my language needs; if you're curious you should check it out.


	6. The Trouble with Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara's set on leaving the Luthor alone, but fate (or Kara's super hearing) make that nearly impossible to stick to. When Lillian makes a wrong move, Kara decides she can stick by the Luthor for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God... what is this year? What is time? Honestly, I went from having space to breathe, to being suffocated with work. Thankfully, I had most of this chapter typed up before being hit with busy season. Thank you guys for giving me a push. I'll try and keep it going, for both our sake and sanity haha.

“I have to forget about Lena.” Kara sighed and placed the book against the shelf opposite her.

She had come early to school to talk to her magical book. The book stood silent. Kara huffed and clenched her jaw. The book had warned her that sometimes it would be ‘away’ because it had other duties to attend to. Of all the times for the book to not respond, why did it have to be now? She had spent the night tossing and turning in bed, hearing the cries of her people as their planet caved in on itself whenever she did slip into a sleepy state. 

“I need to remember Krypton.” Kara stated to no one in particular and stood up. Briskly she paced out of the library and kept her gaze down. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to cry about, but the stinging feeling of tears at the corner of her eyes assured her that she couldn’t do anything about it. 

“Assistant to Headmaster Grant, Miss Tessmacher speaking. How may I help you Mrs. Luthor?”

Kara paused in her brisk pace and focused on the phone conversation she had caught wind of in her absentminded march. 

“Lena won’t be coming in today. She’s come down with… a cold. Have all her work forwarded to her email for this week.”

“Of course, Mrs. Luthor.” 

Kara knit her brows and thought Lena had been fairly warm last night at the pizza parlour. How had she suddenly become cold? And even if she was cold, why did this prevent her from coming to school? Kara shook her head; she needed to stop thinking about the green-eyed brunette. The more her thoughts turned to Lena, the less pain she felt. She needed that pain… without it, she might forget that which she treasured most. If the green-eyed girl had suddenly turned cold, there was nothing Kara could do about it anyways. 

“Shut your mouth you insolent girl.” 

Kara jerked her head up. It had been faint, even for Kara’s super hearing, but she was sure it was the demon lady who spoke. Her blood boiled involuntarily as she picked up on Lena’s uneven heartbeat and suddenly she was walking towards the front gate. 

“Whoa there and where do you think you’re going?” 

That voice… Kara reeled back her anger and looked to her side. 

“You...you are--”

“The headmaster and you’ll refer to me as such,” Cat chastised the overfamiliar youth. “Headmaster Grant,”

Kara squinted her eyes as she took in the lithe, blonde woman’s quizzical brow. She was sure she had heard that voice before. 

“I…” Kara paused. Where was she going? She had just started moving with only one thought in mind. She wanted to make sure Lena was ok; if Lena was ok, she could forget about her. “My lab partner is cold.”

without waiting so much as a second to hear Cat’s response, Kara bolted. She knew she would probably get in trouble for ditching first thing in the morning, but with her speed, she was confident that no one would notice her absence that much. Cat pulled her sharp lips into a smirk; she’d have to cover for that smitten alien.

Kara sped all the way to the rather ominous gates that surrounded the mansion on the hill. She vaulted over and took cover in between well kept bushes. She could see through the house and recognized the demon lady getting into the back of a black car. Good, thought Kara, she wouldn’t have to deal with that woman. 

She didn’t know which window was Lena’s, so she closed her eyes and sought out her heartbeat. Instead of the familiar thud, she heard a faint whimper coming from the balcony directly above her. The blonde jumped onto the balcony and muted her fall as Lena came into view. The girl was curled up into herself on the balcony floor.

“Lena…” Kara called out softly as she knelt by the girl.

The brunette stiffened before opening her eyes wide. “Kara!” She quickly tried wiping away her tears and composed herself as best as she could. 

Kara reached out her hand and put it against Lena’s cheek and then forehead. “You don’t feel cold.” Kara noted that Lena actually felt warm and her face was starting to flush. 

“What are you doing here?” Lena managed to stammer out. “How did you--”

“I walked and then I… climbed.” Kara shrugged like it was no big deal. “The mean blonde lady at the front said that you had become cold.” 

Lena scoffed, “is that what Lillian said… that I have a cold?” 

“Then you are ok?” Kara asked.

Lena pulled back the hair that had covered her face partially. Kara gasped slightly as she took in Lena’s bruised cheek. “She forgot her own rule when she struck me last night.”

“But why?”

“For existing,” Lena responded with a sigh. “She came home early again. I think her and my brother are fighting. Always puts her in a bad mood.”

Kara lightly touched the bruise but quickly retracted her hand when Lena flinched. Kara bit her lip as Lena looked at her with such a tender look. She had made up her mind to forget Lena that morning, yet here she was, on her balcony, tending to her. Lena was hurt, Kara couldn’t just leave her. When she was better, Kara would forget about her. She nodded at her resolution and sat by Lena.

“I’ll leave when you’re better.” 

Lena arched her brow, “but it’ll be awhile before this heals and you’ll miss school… you’ll get in trouble.”

“Who cares,” Kara shrugged. “I get in trouble all the time.”

Lena let out a chuckle, “ok, rebel. Still, I can’t have you ditching class for me. Plus, I thought--” Lena faltered. She wanted to know what Kara was doing here. She was sure the girl merely tolerated her presence, but she had ditched school, evaded her home security and somehow vaulted to her balcony to check on her. 

“You checked on me.” Kara responded back calmly and dug in her bag. When she pulled out the chocobar and handed it to Lena, she tried not to look at her newly wet, green eyes. She shouldn’t cry over a piece of chocolate. “It’s no big deal,” Kara muttered something she heard Alex say whenever she was begrudgingly being nice.

“Thanks,” Lena murmured as she took the chocolate. “You should go to school, Kara.”

Kara thought back on how the headmaster had seen her leave. She would definitely tell the Danvers she had taken off. Surprisingly, her phone wasn’t ringing yet. Maybe her book could help some way; surely it knew of some magic that would allow her to evade trouble. Plus, the book said it liked Lena. 

“I’ll be back,” Kara stood up promptly and prepared to climb down. 

“Wait!” Lena quickly got up and pulled on Kara’s arm. Kara’s solid, muscled arm, Lena noted. “There’s a secret passage in my room that leads to the garden below.”

“Is that...normal?” 

Lena chuckled, “it’s good ol’ Luthor paranoia that built this mansion. Anyways, follow me.”

Kara did as she was told and entered Lena’s room. It was filled with books and maps, but otherwise very tidy. They neared a bookshelf that was massive and with a flick of her wrist, Lena caused it to open like a door. Kara peered into the dark space and marveled at the spiral staircase that led downwards and the lights that lined the rails. 

“Impressive,” Kara commented as she walked down after Lena. 

“The door’s covered by a fair amount of vines on the other side. If you want to visit again, just let me know you’re coming.”

Lena opened the door and they were blinded momentarily by the sunlight that poured in. Once out Kara was about to take off when she felt Lena pull on her wrist.

“You don’t have my number,” she murmured and eyed Kara’s phone. “May I?”

Kara nodded and handed her the device. Lena tapped away and handed it back. “You don’t have to come back Kara, I’ll be ok.”

Kara paused and looked at Lena’s bruise in the daylight. It was yellow around the edges, light purple at its center and looked swollen. Kara took care not to crush her phone as she put it back in her pocket. 

“You’re a bad liar.” Kara stated flatly and took off at a speed that she knew Lena wouldn’t be suspicious of, but also one that wouldn’t allow her to tag along. 

Once around the corner and out of sight, Kara relied on her powers to get her to the library without being seen. She couldn’t help the urgency she felt pulsing through her veins. She couldn’t believe that demon had actually struck Lena. Surely her magical book could offer some assistance. Speaking of which, didn’t Lena say she owned a magical book with sea monsters; surely that would be able to fend off the demon woman. 

“Playing hookie are we?” 

Kara smirked as she held the book in her hands.

“I don’t know that human game, but I have no time for games, I need your help.”

“Oh? What’s got you all riled up?” 

Kara paused for a moment and let the book’s voice sink in. It really did sound like the headmistress. 

“It’s Lena… I need to be with her.”

“Whoa whoa whoaaa, just a few days ago you weren’t even sure you wanted to kiss her; now you want to  _ be  _ with her?” 

Kara scowled, “not like that! I mean I need to skip school to be with her while her demon woman is in the house.” 

“You really should refer to her as her mother,” Cat chuckled; she wished she could refer to Lillian in such crass terms. 

“She is not a mother… at least she doesn’t act like one. She hit Lena. That’s why she’s absent.” 

Cat frowned. This was sadly a common occurrence. Lena never missed school unless Lillian called in saying she was sick. She had told Lena that she could talk to her about it, but both her and Lena knew Lillian would never be held accountable with all her grimy connections. 

“I’m going to be there the next time…” Kara muttered softly. “I can’t be hurt.” 

Cat sighed. “You’re not invincible and Lillian Luthor is not someone you should mess with.” She needed to be careful around the billionaire. Her son had just declared war on Superman; she doubted the mother had much more love for aliens or superheroes. 

“There’s nothing that demon woman can do to hurt me.” Kara protested. 

“She could hurt Lena.” Cat offered.

Kara bit her lip and then curled her fingers into a fist. “I won’t let her… I can…”

“Shoot lasers into her mom… yeah I’m not sure that’s any way to win a girl over.”

“I am not trying to win her over!” Kara huffed and crossed her arms as she set the book back on the shelf. “Why do I even bother asking for your help? I’ll just get in trouble and ditch.”

“I can give you a week.” The book offered at last. “I’ll use my powers and have that beautiful, intelligent and dazzling headmistress believe you and Lena are busy on a self-study project of sorts.” 

Kara glanced at the book suspiciously. Was it in love with the headmistress? She shook her head; if it was in love with a human, it wasn’t any of her business. She had her own humans to worry about. 

“Thank you,” Kara sighed and then perked her eyebrows slightly higher, “Lena mentioned she had a magical book called Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters… do you think it’d help too?” 

Cat held back an uncharacteristic snort and replied, “we’re not all magical you know?” 

Kara nodded slightly disappointed; she had wanted to unleash this sea monster at least once on the demon woman. 

“A bit of advice; don’t let Lillian see you. She has a way of isolating Lena. It’s better that you remain a secret.”

Kara hummed in agreement. She was good at being a secret. 

“Also stop by the headmistress’ office; you’ll need a note to convince Lena you didn’t just ditch.”

“You are a very sly book. You must have studied humans for a long time.” Kara smiled softly and realized how foreign it felt to curve her lips just so. “I’m glad we met.”

Cat inhaled sharply but kept still lest Kara figure out she was really just a middle-aged woman hiding behind a bookshelf. The poor kid sounded genuinely glad to have befriended a book and Cat wasn’t ready to end the facade. As a magical book she could hear Kara out and be the one safe outlet for the Kryptonian who needed advice on how to navigate this human world. 

“The feeling is mutual, but don’t get all sappy. Don’t you have a girl to see?”

Kara nodded and rushed off. Cat took her time in following after her. It was going to hurt when Kara eventually figured out that her magical book was just another human. In all honesty, she hadn’t meant to continue going to the library, but talking to the angsty Kryptonian had been intriguing. It wasn’t often that Cat was able to connect with her students; most were too afraid to approach her. Except for Lena, but that kid was the exception to every rule she had thought unbreakable. 

When Cat pulled up to her office, she smirked at the sight of Kara glaring at her assistant. She glanced at Eve who looked anxious. 

“Ms. Grant, I told Miss Danvers that she would have to make an appointment to meet with you, but she won’t--” 

Cat raised her hand and dismissed her anxiety ridden words. “We have a meeting Ms. Tessmacher. Follow me Keira.” 

“It’s Kara…” Kara muttered.

Cat raised her brow and responded, “come now Kiera, I don’t have all day.” 

Kara grumbled but followed anyways; there was absolutely no way this rude human was her helpful, magical book. She took a seat in front of Ms. Grant’s desk and observed how tidy everything was. Not a pen was out of place. 

“So Kiera, I believe you came for this,” Cat scribbled her signature on a form before handing it to Kara. “I look forward to your and Miss Luthor’s science fair submission, and I hope this week long excused absence aids you both.”

“Thanks,” Kara tried not to stare wide-eyed at the note; the book had kept its promise. It’s control over humans was astonishing and slightly frightening. “Can I go now?”

No sooner had Cat nodded before Kara was pacing briskly out the front door of the academy. She felt anxious to return to Lena and make sure she was ok. This gnawing sense of needing to know was what she had felt all those weeks before Kal-el had felt ready to tell her that there had been no other survivors. She had kept some hope alive and it nearly drove her insane wondering if her family was still out there somewhere amongst the stars. She had thought maybe Kal was mistaken, that he had just given up too soon or not known enough, but before Kara could receive any kind of closure he was gone, back to Metropolis, back to being the savior of humanity. 

Kara scowled at the thought. She remembered everything her parents had told her, about the new planet that would become their home, but nothing had gone according to plan. Here she was hiding who she was, unable to save anyone. The very least she could do was see to it that Lena was okay; she clutched the note tighter and darted to the secret entrance.

She shoved the door open unceremoniously. She would never understand why humans hadn’t made all doors to open at command or by detecting their presence. So frustrated was the kryptonian that what came into view next took her by surprise. She treaded carefully as she made her way towards Lena’s bed where the girl had fallen fast asleep. Kara had never seen her look so fragile and at peace; if it weren’t for the bruise on her cheek, Kara would have believed she didn’t have a care in the world. 

Lena mumbled and shifted in her sleep. Kara watched her once peaceful expression morph. This she was familiar with; most of her nights on earth were spent tossing and turning and reliving the death of her planet. Lena was having a nightmare. Of course, Kara thought, her presence automatically let darkness in; she was nothing but a taint on Lena’s inner light. 

“Kara…” Lena mumbled and snapped the kryptonian out of her dark thoughts. 

She put the note on Lena’s bedside table and tentatively reached out to brush a few strands of dark hair that had fallen on Lena’s face. She hesitated and lingered only a few centimeters above; was this really her place? If her planet hadn’t been destroyed, she never would have met Lena… she wouldn’t be here, standing in her room and wondering if she should lull the girl out of her nightmare. 

“Kar…” Lena mumbled once more and Kara couldn’t ignore this plea. Hearing Lena call out for her reminded her of her failures. 

She flicked Lena on the forehead, gentle enough for a human, but still hard enough to wake the Luthor.

“Ow!” Lena’s eyes flew open with rage and then confusion, “Kara? Did you just--”

“You were having a stupid dream.” Kara said nonchalantly and crossed her arms.

Lena blushed; she had been having an interesting dream that’s for sure. Stupid didn’t quite cover it. She quickly averted her eyes from Kara’s toned arms and steel, cold blue gaze; they had played prominent roles in her interrupted dream. 

“Mother left the country again… emergency business trip.” Lena muttered, changing the subject to get her mind off of Kara’s arms and eyes. “By the way how did you...” She eyed the bookcase and kept herself from dropping her jaw. It looked slightly askew, but definitely broken. “Nevermind.”

“I got a note from that Grant lady,” Kara tossed the note at her. 

“You mean our headmistress,” Lena quickly opened the note to read its contents and found herself mildly surprised. “Oh wow… a whole week. What did you say to her?” 

“That we were going to join the science fair.” Technically it wasn’t a lie. “So she gave us a week to work on it.” 

Kara watched as Lena’s eyes lit up and she barely managed to contain the squeal of excitement as she took hold of Kara’s hands. The kryptonian rolled her eyes and broke her gaze to turn her face; she couldn’t let Lena think she was happy about this. She wasn’t… she was just glad that she didn’t have to go to school for awhile. Lena quickly collected her hands and cleared her throat. She had forgotten herself for a moment.

“So… want to get started?” Lena asked.

Kara felt her lips tug into a smile at the sight of Lena’s playful, sparkling, green eyes. Try as she might, she couldn’t fight the joy she felt when she felt compatible with the human. She was glad that Lena loved science as much as she did. On Krypton, Lena would have been her equal… perhaps they would have even been matched.

_ You’ll need someone as curious as you, kir-ehl. Otherwise, you’ll get into trouble all on your own.  _

Her mother’s voice drifted through her mind and for once it didn’t hurt.


	7. Don't Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara's put herself in Lena's company voluntarily; just until she gets better, of course. Lena can't decide whether Kara really wants her around or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I start writing chapters and want to give Kara and Lena good, mushy moments and then I remember my kryptonian is still all over the place and I can't rush her like that. So yeah... still a lot of angst to sift through. Sorry, not sorry.

Kara spent most of her day aiding and abetting Lena in creating what she suspected would be the very best science project ever known to mankind. Some of the mechanics that applied to Earth still eluded her, but Lena was an apt teacher. Krypton differed in many ways, but core principles seemed to remain intact for the most part and she certainly had an edge when it came to bending the rules of physics--literally applied when she used her super strength or heat vision to create a desired effect. 

Lena was dumbfounded when she would leave for a moment only to return and find their materials affected more so than her instruments were capable of. Kara not only said strange things, but she displayed an incredible amount of strength. For one, her secret passage-way door was made to withstand high explosives, yet there it stood, slightly askew from Kara’s forced entrance. She’d have to check it later to see if some sort of fault caused it to malfunction; what else could it be other than a technical issue? Then there was the whole incident with the cutting laser in which she was sure she had seen Kara’s hand slip under it. She had reacted accordingly and turned the laser off and took hold of Kara’s hand to inspect it for damage, yet there had been nothing. Kara had briskly taken her hand back and curtly told Lena she was seeing things. Sometime after lunch, after Lena flinched from her bruise, Kara pulled her close and blew on her face. Lena protested for a bit until she realized how abnormally cool Kara’s breath felt on her skin. 

“It’s a trick… Eliza showed me,” Kara said nonchalantly. It was true that she had once seen Eliza put ice on Alex’s knee when she bruised it, but she had never used her freeze breath in this manner.

Lena wasn’t sure what to believe. Her face felt flushed and heated save for the spot that Kara had blown on. Could it be that having the blonde so close with puckered lips was just too much for the Luthor to handle? It wouldn’t be beyond reasonable belief to think that Kara threw off her senses, would it?

As the day turned into evening, Lena wished she could rewind the day. She knew she’d be back tomorrow, but the Luthor found that an empty mansion was made even more so now that the blonde had invaded it’s somber walls. Now that Lena was old enough to fend for herself, the help was always allowed time off whenever Lillian was gone. Usually loneliness was not something the Luthor was affected by; she’d always find refuge at the pizza parlor or visiting Sam’s place. However, her newest bruise wasn’t something she wanted to parade about town. 

“Hello, are you deaf?” Kara waved her hand in front of Lena. “So did you want to come?” 

“Come? Where?” 

Kara huffed, “to dinner, with the Danvers at their house.”

“Oh,” Lena smiled momentarily but then recalled her bruise, “I probably shouldn’t.”

“We can eat in my room…” Kara offered. “So no one sees.”

“You’d sneak me in?” 

Kara rolled her eyes, “are you in or not?” 

The offer had left her lips before she could stop herself. She tried not to dwell too much on what it meant. 

“Yes,” Lena answered quickly before Kara could grumpily recede her offer. “Let’s go.”

As they exited through the secret passageway and walked out onto the sidewalk, Lena couldn’t help but shiver. Nights in National City always were a bit chilly, especially at the beginning of the spring semester. Kara walked alongside her, immune to the chilly air and felt annoyed that the human girl wasn’t capable of withstanding the cold in the same manner. Why hadn’t she brought along thicker clothes or a coat or something so that she wouldn’t shiver so miserably on their walk? She wasn’t sure there was anything she could do to help her and that only further frustrated her. 

“Forgot how chilly it could get,” Lena murmured and rubbed her arms vigorously. “How are you not shivering?” 

Kara shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t feel it.”

Lena reached out her hand to touch Kara’s arm and marveled at how warm she felt. Fueled by the cold and unable to think straight while she shivered, she practically wrapped around Kara’s arm. 

“Hey!” Kara shouted as the Luthor clung to her. “What are you--?”

“It’s not my fault you're a human furnace,” Lena said with a smile, but then added, “I can let go if it really bothers you.”

Kara kept her brows furrowed; the feelings inside of her made her feel like flying. Surely that meant that the Luthor was annoying her. Still, it wouldn’t do anyone any good if Lena froze while walking to the Danvers’ house.

“Only because it’s cold,” Kara muttered and they walked the rest of the way with Lena practically snuggled into Kara’s side.

Kara went through the back of the house and utilized a ladder from the shed to reach her window. When Lena crawled in somewhat unceremoniously, it was Kara’s arms that kept her from tumbling forward onto the hardwood floor. 

“Thanks,” Lena spoke in a hushed voice. 

“Ok you wait here and I’ll--” 

“What in the… Lena?” 

Kara swiveled around quickly and found herself face to face with Alex. With renewed, furrowed brows, Kara pulled the brunette into her room and shut the door before Alex could say another word. She thought about pushing her out and then shutting the door, but with her luck Alex would just make a bigger scene.

“Kara what the hell are you doing?” Alex said in a muffled tone, Kara’s hand planted firmly on her mouth. 

“Why’d you just barge into my room?” Kara hissed. 

“Because mom and dad said you were still at Lena’s, and I needed my book back.” Alex grunted back as she pushed the blonde away. “I just came from downstairs; did you sneak in?” She tried looking at Lena for answers, but it seemed like Kara was body blocking her. Now that she wasn’t completely appalled by Kara’s manhandling of her, she was beginning to notice that Lena was looking away from her and was being awfully quiet. “Hey… are you ok?”

“It’s none of your business,” Kara muttered, ready to shove Alex out the front door. 

“What happened?” Alex asked as her unruly, alien cohabitant continued to get in her line of sight. “Kara, would you stop!”

The kryptonian wasn’t sure what to do other than hide Lena, who still hadn’t said a word. She had promised to sneak her in but had failed within minutes of arriving. 

“It’s ok Kara,” Lena finally spoke up and placed her hand on Kara’s shoulder so she could move out of the way. “Hey Alex.” Lena turned to face the girl and Alex barely held in an audible gasp at the sight of her bruise. 

“Who did this?” Alex asked and noted how Lena struggled to answer, so she shook her head and said, “sorry, dumb question, you don’t have to tell me, but… is that why you were absent?”

Lena nodded. “Kara invited me over for dinner, but I didn’t want anyone to see this ugly thing.”

“If you want, I have loads of makeup and I know how to conceal it.” Alex offered. “My hobbies usually leave me looking pretty banged up.”

Kara raised a brow, “you wear makeup?”

“We weren’t all born with perfect alien genes,” Alex commented snidely.

“Alien?” Lena asked.

“Oh, well not literally, of course, I just meant that Kara’s a pimple-less freak of nature,” Alex covered up as best she could. She was getting too comfortable with the youngest Luthor around. “Wait here just a second.”  
As Alex scurried around looking for her bruise concealing makeup, Lena took note that Kara looked a bit apprehensive. She had been a little surprised by how forceful she was when it came to hiding Lena. She smiled at the thought that Kara actually seemed a little protective of her. 

“Thanks for hiding me,” Lena gave Kara’s hand a little squeeze before sitting on her bed.

“Not very well,” Kara muttered and crossed her arms. “Can’t even do that right.”

“To be fair I wasn’t of much help in the sneak department,” Lena added. “Plus I think it’s better this way… Lillian had ordered me to put makeup on and go to school, but seeing as I hardly ever wear any and she’s nowhere near my shade of pale, it was a no go. I also think she doesn’t like taking chances like that… better to keep me at home than risk any kind of public scrutiny.” She looked up at Kara, who still looked like she was mad. “You did a lot for me today.”

“I--” Kara started but clamped her mouth shut when Alex returned.

She sat on her desk chair while Alex applied makeup to Lena’s bruise. She tried to feign disinterest by staring off in another direction, but every time she heard Lena meep, she couldn’t help but throw Alex a threatening glance. She knew Alex wasn’t trying to hurt her, but she should be more careful. Humans were so fragile. 

“Good as new!” Alex stated triumphantly as she raised her makeup sponge in the air. “Check it out,” she handed Lena a small handheld mirror.

“You can’t even see it!” Lena was astounded by Alex’s skill. “So how often do you bruise your face?”

“Often enough,” Alex chuckled. “Can’t learn how to fight without taking a few hits.”

“Remind me to never pick one with you,” Lena jested. “Thanks a bunch Alex.”

“No problem,” Alex smiled and blushed a bit. She couldn’t help her face flushing when a pretty girl thanked her. 

Kara watched as Alex’s face flushed and wondered if she was coming down with something. If so, she probably shouldn’t be so close to Lena; then the Luthor would really be out sick.

“Are you sick?” Kara asked Alex.

“No, why?” Alex raised her brow.

“Because your face is all red,” Kara stated matter-of-factly. She had observed the last time Alex had not felt well, and her face had been flushed then. 

Alex’s slight blush ran more rampant and all she could think of to do was call Kara ‘dumb’.

“I am not,” Kara said with a slight amount of fury; all she was trying to do was keep Lena healthy. “I just don’t want your germs all over the place.”

“I’m not sick Kara,” Alex stated again and rolled her eyes when Kara pointed at her cheeks accusingly. “It’s called blushing… you stupid alien!” 

Lena stood still, not entirely sure what the sisters were fighting over. She still found it strange that Alex called Kara an alien as an insult, but figured they were raised by scientists so maybe that’s where it came from. When she glanced at Kara she caught a flicker of hurt reflected in Kara’s sterling blue eyes. However, it was gone in an instant, replaced by a hard, cold expression.

“Why all the shouting?” Eliza appeared at Kara’s doorway. “Oh Kara, Lena, I had no idea you had come in. Will you be joining us for dinner?”

Lena took a moment but then nodded, “yeah, if that’s ok with you.”

“Of course dear; you’re welcome over any time.” Eliza smiled and then glanced at Alex and Kara who both had their arms crossed. “Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine,” Kara stated before Alex could say anything. “I’m just hungry.”

The last thing Kara needed was Alex blaming her for Eliza getting mad at her. She allowed herself to be herded to the dinner table where she was greeted by a delicious and foreign aroma. 

“Hey kiddos, we decided to order out since we had a long day,” Jeremiah announced as they all took their seats. “So here we have potstickers,” He pointed to a pile of juicy looking little pouches and Kara felt her mouth water almost instantly. “Here we have vegetable lo mein, orange chicken for our meat eaters and a whopping amount of white rice. Dig in!” 

Kara quickly filled her plate with mostly potstickers. Thankfully the Danvers had foreseen her massive hunger and had bought enough to serve a family of ten. 

“Glad to see you again Lena; we heard from Ms. Grant that you and Kara would be doing a week of free study to focus on your science project.” Jeremiah spoke up after a few minutes of devouring their chinese food. 

Lena nodded happily, “it was all Kara’s idea; I think this year’s science fair will be extra phenomenal.” She glanced sideways at Kara for input, but the blonde was too busy shoving potstickers in her mouth to do anything but chew. 

Lena giggled as a bit of sauce bunched up on the corner of Kara’s mouth. With the precision of a ninja, Lena swooped in and quickly wiped the sauce off with a napkin. Kara hastily gulped her food down lest she choke on it now that her face felt hot.

“Now you’re blushing too,” Alex taunted with a small smirk. 

Kara grunted, “at least I’m not sick.” She continued eating and was more mindful to not make a mess. She couldn’t have Lena touch her face like that again; it made not only her face hot but her eyes too, strangely enough. 

“Looks like we might have found your new favorite food,” Eliza jested as she pointed at the vanished potsticker pile. 

“They were really good,” Kara attested with a small smile, but took care not to look Eliza in the eyes. 

“They’re pretty easy to make,” Lena spoke up.

“You can make them?” Kara’s eyes widened with awe. 

“Sure, I spend a lot of time with the kitchen staff; much better company than my mother.”

“Speaking of which, she does know you’re here right?” Jeremiah asked.

“She’s out of town for the whole week,” Lena answered, “so technically no.”

Jeremiah shrugged, “as long as there’s an ocean separating us, I’m happy.”

Eliza lightly smacked his arm.

“What?” Jeremiah protested with a small chuckle. “I have to like the cranky, better-than-you, uptight monster of a benefactress?”

“That’s her mother,” Eliza hissed.

“Suffice it to say this apple,” Jeremiah looked at Lena before continuing, “has fallen very far from that wrinkly, old tree.”

Lena couldn’t hold back her laugh and would have knocked over her drink had Kara not held it in place. She had never heard anyone speak so crudely of her mother without dragging her into it. 

“It’s fine, Mrs. Danvers, really; I know how she can be.” 

“I just don’t want you to feel uncomfortable dear,” Eliza sighed, “but I’ve never been able to teach this one any manners.”

Jeremiah shrugged again and the whole table laughed aside from Kara who was mostly preoccupied with her food and glancing at Lena. She had done it again; she made the table warmer and conversation flow freely. How could her mother be immune to Lena’s abilities? She mentally receded into herself as thoughts of her own mother began to flood her thoughts. She would have loved to meet a girl like Lena. It was so easy to picture and her heart swelled at the idea, but reality was always quick to catch up. That could never happen; Krypton was gone. Her mother was gone. 

“It’s pretty dark out; will you be staying the night sweetie?” Eliza addressed Lena.

“Oh, uh… I didn’t really pack anything, so…”

“We have extra toothbrushes and either Alex or Kara can lend you clothes to sleep in.” Eliza offered, “What do you think girls, how about a sleepover?” 

Kara was pulled from her thoughts. A sleepover? She glanced at Lena… was she supposed to sleep over Lena? Her face felt hot again and this time the burning in her eyes overwhelmed her. She quickly stood from her seat and rushed upstairs. 

“Uhh… I think that’s a no,” Lena offered.

“Who cares, you’re staying over,” Alex quipped with a smirk. “Beats making me and Kara walk you home.”

“I could--”

“I’m sure Kara just ate too many potstickers,” Jeremiah joked. “We’ll clean up the dinner table; Alex why don’t you fetch Lena some clothes?”

“You got it! Come on, let’s go check on that weirdo.”

Eliza gave Alex a pointed look, but she ignored it and pulled Lena up the stairs. She wasn’t sure why Kara had taken off, but she doubted she really wanted the Luthor to leave; after all, she was the one that snuck her in. She rushed her into her room and began going through her clothes drawers. She found a comfy tank and green plaid pajama pants for Lena to throw on. 

“Here ya go,” Alex handed her the clothes. “I’ll step out so you can change; Kara’s still in the bathroom.”

Lena nodded and shut the door. Alex leaned on the wall by the bathroom door and waited for Kara to come out. When she finally did come out, so did Lena and as soon as Kara’s eyes fell on her, she quickly retreated to the bathroom once more.

“I think I should--”

“Wait one moment,” Alex cut her off and chased after Kara.

Once in the bathroom, she shut the door and leered at the blonde who was sitting on the sink and clenching her eyes shut. 

“Ok what’s happening?” Alex tried her best not to be too annoyed.

Kara let out a growl before answering, “I’m not sure. My laser vision… it’s acting up.”

“Whoa… should I go get mom and dad?”

“No… I can control it; it just… it’s Lena.” 

“Lena? What do you mean?”

“Sleeping over Lena,” Kara added and kept her eyes clamped shut.

Alex’s eyes widened as she realized what exactly Kara was reacting too. Kara’s laser vision was the kryptonian equivalent of a lady boner.

“Kara… a sleepover just means that friends are going to sleep over at your house, not… on top of each other. Do you want me to give Lena another shirt… long sleeve maybe?” She asked, feeling bad for Kara’s condition. 

“No… I’m fine; as long as I don’t have to sleep over her.”

“So um, you like her?” Alex asked; it was rare that they got to talk like this.

“She just makes me feel weird,” Kara sighed.

Meanwhile Lena sat on the artist’s stool she found in Kara’s room. The easel was covered by a blanket and Lena felt curiosity easing it’s way into her head. She wasn’t aware that Kara painted, and wondered what the blonde had created. She pulled the blanket off slowly and carefully before gasping at the painting before her. It was a place she had never seen before. 

It looked like a fantasy land where technology and nature flourished together. Lena sat in reverence and awe at the detail and skill set into each of Kara’s brush strokes. She wasn’t an artist, but she could definitely appreciate good art. 

Kara and Alex walked in and Alex’s eyes went wide when she caught sight of Kara’s exposed painting. 

“Uh Lena, you shouldn’t have--” Alex started, but was quickly cut off by Lena.

“It’s beautiful,” Lena stated with awe. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“And you never will,” Kara huffed, masking her pain with anger. “Because it no longer exists.”

Alex sighed and quickly went over to throw the blanket back over the easel. Lena wore a confused expression, knitting her brows together and frowning; she hadn’t meant to upset Kara. 

“I’m sorry, I… I should go.” Lena rose from the stool.

“Don’t.” Kara bit her lip. She wanted to say don’t go… stay, but her seething anger overrode her pleas. “Don’t do that again.” 

“I… I won’t, I’m sorry.” Lena apologized and felt ashamed by her intrusion. “I’ll stay in Alex’s room.”

Kara didn’t respond and that was Lena’s cue to exit. She could feel her eyes tear up but quickly wiped them away as she entered Alex’s room. She heard Alex come in behind her and shut the door.

“Sorry… she’s just hurting, but you didn’t deserve that.” Alex apologized and invited Lena to take a seat by her on her bed. “She’s actually nicer to you than she is with me.”

Lena scoffed, “I’m pretty sure she’s constantly annoyed by me.”

“And yet she ditched school for a week to be at your side,” Alex added with a smirk. “Pretty sure she’s not annoyed by you. In fact, I’m pretty sure she’s just annoyed by the feelings she has for you.” 

“What?” Lena’s eyes widened. 

“I can’t elaborate further; sister’s code. But I’m pretty sure it was your exposed shoulders that set her off.” Alex teased with a shrug. “Just don’t give up on her, ok?”

Lena sighed but nodded, “you’re the worst, and I haven’t.”

“Good, then let’s get some sleep and let that broody teenager reset in the morning.”

Both girls fell asleep relatively quickly, but Lena found herself waking in the middle of the night to go to the restroom. She was sleepily walking back to Alex’s room when she heard a whimper come from Kara’s. She thought of ignoring it and not poking her nose into Kara’s business; she had already been scolded for doing so, but Kara whimpered again and Lena couldn’t help herself. She entered in quietly and kneeled by Kara’s bedside. 

Her face was scrunched as if in pain and her whimpers continued. Lena placed her hand on Kara’s cheek.

“It’s ok… you’re ok, Kara.” Lena whispered softly as she tried to lull the girl out of her nightmare.

Kara’s whimpers subsided and her expression relaxed. Lena began to move her hand, but Kara’s moved to keep it in place. Lena winced; Kara’s hand was heavy. She tried to move it once more and Kara’s eyes opened slightly.

“Stay” she murmured and ungraciously pulled Lena on to her bed. “Don’t go… stay.” Kara murmured again as she continued to pull Lena closer to her, until she spooned her, locking her in with her arm. 

Lena’s heart thumped against her ribcage as she stifled her breathing. No way was Kara fully awake, and by Jove, how the heck was Kara’s arm like a bar of steel. She wiggled to see if she might slip under Kara’s arm, but the girl just mumbled and pulled her in close so that Kara’s nose was definitely deep in Lena’s hair.

“Smell nice… azure flowers… Krypton,” Kara mumbled almost incoherently, “home.”

Krypton, thought Lena… she was familiar with the term, more so than most thanks to her Superman obsessed brother. Whatever dream Kara was currently having was sure to be strange. She had never heard of azure flowers, but apparently she smelled like them. 

Lena’s breath hitched as Kara’s breath tickled her neck and she cursed herself for letting her curiosity get the better of her. If she hadn’t gone snooping, she wouldn’t be in this predicament. She couldn’t help it though; Kara was clearly having a nightmare before she had snuck in. Still, she looked down at Kara’s arm wrapped around her torso… this was going to be hard to explain come morning when Kara and Alex woke up. 

She tucked herself into Kara, giving in to the fact that she couldn’t get out without waking the blonde, and if she was being 100% honest with herself--she didn’t want to move.


End file.
